How to buy tax free wine & Champagne when travelling via Calais, France?
Brexit might have dampened the spirit of the popular booze cruise to Calais, but you can still benefit from cheaper Champagne and wine bought in France with some minor restrictions.
Previously, Brits could purchase unlimited quantities of alcohol when travelling between EU countries (as long as the products purchased were for own use and not for resale). This was perfect for those hosting big parties such as weddings as the price was much lower than in the UK, even after travel costs.
After Brexit, new restrictions were brought in on quantities permitted. However, it's not all doom and gloom as you may find wine prices are now even lower as Brits are eligible for a VAT refund on alcohol. Additionally, allowances are per person so a couple over 18 could technically travel back with up to 36 litres of wine. Still plenty for a party we think!
So how much am I limited to now?
The new personal individual limits when leaving the EU for the UK on alcohol are：
- 42 litres of beer
- 18 litres (24 standard bottles) of still wine
You can also choose either:
- 4 litres of spirits or
- 9 litres (12 bottles) of sparkling wine, fortified wine or any alcoholic beverage less than 22% ABV
The last allowance can also be split 50% between the two options i.e 2 litres of spirits and 4.5 litres of sparkling wine.
What should you know before heading to Calais?
There are two main ways you can get a tax refund - using a traditional in-store paper method, or a digital app like Wevat. The main perk of using a digitised method like Wevat is you get more money back compared with the in-store method. Another benefit is you only have to spend a total of €100 across all your purchases rather than €100 per store. You can also chat with Wevat’s online customer support in the App if you have any questions.
You may end up with a combination of paper and digital invoices depending on the stores you use. Many Calais stores (especially the wine superstores) provide tax-free vouchers, allowing travellers to reclaim VAT on wine or Champagne purchases before boarding their Calais ferry or Eurotunnel back to the UK.
Whichever method you choose, you will need to get your (e)refund form/ vouchers validated at customs before you leave the EU. Much like the process at airports, there are self-service tax kiosks at the ferry port/ Eurotunnel terminal where you can scan these before heading home (details below).
If you are using Wevat, simply ask the shop staff to issue a “Facture” (Invoice in French) addressed to Wevat. All of the instructions are clearly detailed in the app or you can click here to see a step-by-step guide to using Wevat.
Before travelling to the UK:
There are a few steps you need to take before your departure back to the UK via ferry or Eurotunnel to avoid claim rejections.
Upload your invoices in-app once you shop so they can be verified in time before your departure date. Generate your refund form in-app and check it's right.
Have your invoices and shopping together as French Customs may ask to see these, so make sure they're packed somewhere accessible for now.
Where to find Customs at:
Calais Ferry port:
Port de Calais Terminal Ferry, 62225 Calais
Directions: When arriving at the Calais Ferry Terminal, have your tax refund forms and unused goods ready for inspection. The self-service tax kiosks and customs offices are located after passport controls and the ferry ticket control. ''Turism export''
Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle):
Customs: Eurotunnel Terminal - Tunnel sous la Manche Site Eurotunnel Coquelles, 62903 Coquelles.
Directions: Take Junction 42b of the A16 motorway and follow signs for "Terminal tourisme" NOT for "Terminal fret" when leaving the A16. The slip road takes you straight to Eurotunnel check-in booths.
When arriving at the Eurotunnel Terminal, follow these signs within the Calais terminal building to obtain your tax refund.
Port de Calais Terminal Ferry
Eurotunnel Terminal
How to use the self-serve kiosk to get your tax refund approved:
Select your language
Scan the barcode on your digital form in the Wevat app
Wait for the customs approval (a green screen will appear with the message "Validated Form"). We also recommend that you take a picture of the screen for your records
If you have any traditional paper tax refund forms, scan the barcodes one by one as above. These validated paper forms will then need to be mailed into the designated refund mailbox with the original receipts (most often located on the customs desk near the self-service tax machine)
Select language-tax refund kiosk
Form validated-tax refund kiosk
Validated form number-tax refund kiosk
If you encounter any issues with the self-service machines (i.e. barcode not scanning, or an error screen), seek assistance from the Customs desk or chat with Wevat’s online customer support.
Homeward bound
Finally, it’s time to relax on the ferry or shuttle back to the UK with your tax free shopping! Despite the new restrictions on quantity, you will still find that Calais boasts exclusive quality wines not available in UK stores. It’s also close to the Champagne region of France so is perfect for stocking up on fizz. Retailers there will be happy to guide you towards a quality bottle or case of wine or Champagne for your next party so it’s still worthwhile making the trip to France for those quality savings. Just like one of our customers who visits France every two years to stock up. On their last visit, they purchased 150 bottles of Champagne and used Wevat to save nearly €500 on their total shop.
The booze cruise of old might look a little different but we still think shopping for wine or even Champagne in Calais represents fantastic value especially when you can enjoy hassle-free tax-free shopping with Wevat.
Just remember, to drink responsibly!
About Wevat App:
Wevat - a new digital tax refund app that makes it easy for travellers to save money on their shopping in France! We are a community of people who love travelling, shopping and saving money. Since our launch in 2019, we've helped refund travellers from 88 countries more than €18 million on their shopping!
Compared with in-store VAT refund providers, Wevat gives you up to 23% more VAT back and with no minimum spending requirements on each purchase. With Wevat, you can simply snap a picture of your purchase invoices then generate and scan your barcode when you leave France. There are no paper forms, repeated scanning or dropping off forms required with us. Our super-friendly, multilingual customer support team will be always on hand to support you throughout your trip via our app.
We are fully regulated by both French and UK customs.
Download our app now to start saving money on your shopping in France!
Please download before purchase to validate shopping.