Spanish shopping

Good news for fans of Spanish taste and travel: shopping in Spain has become even more appealing for UK travellers, who can claim up to 15.7% VAT back on all items bought in the country – from handsets to handbags. With no minimum spend, this is one of the highest refund rates in the world.

What’s more, Spanish department store group El Corte Inglés – which has a presence all over the country – is offering extra benefits for UK shoppers: a 10% reward on the total of all purchases loaded on to a gift card and the opportunity to pool all in-store purchases to one tax-free invoice, plus three Avios points for every euro spent by British Airways members and in-store refund facilities in selected stores.

In real-life shopping terms, that means that €2,300 (£1,937) Loewe bag you’ve been eyeing up can be yours for less than €2,000 (£1,686) after your VAT refund, and you get €230 (£193) loaded onto your El Corte Inglés gift card – a very compelling reason to add a Spanish shopping spree to your trip. To find out more, visit elcorteingles.com/luxe/uk-tax-free-shopping