Any Dubliners out there? duty free

[pinkflamingo]

Hi there. We are off to Dublin for the day soon to celebrate my daughter's birthday. We live in England and want to know is it cheaper to buy cigarettes in Dublin or at the airport.

So the question is duty free's at the airport or in the local shops?

[jno]

you don't get duty-frees within the EU.

[Buenchico]

There's no such thing as 'duty free' purchases when travelling within the EU. There's only 'duty paid' (i.e. you pay whatever the local rate of tax is).

Ireland is one of the most expensive places in Europe to buy cigarettes. A post on this site states:
"A 20 pack of cigarettes in Ireland costs in excess of �6.50"
http://www.smokersclubinc.com/modules.php?name =News&file=article&sid=3664

However, that post was in October 2006. The Irish government increased the tax on cigarettes by 50 cents in December 2006. They then increased the tax by a further 30 cents in December 2007. So, even ignoring any price increases from the manufacturers, that statement must now be revised to read:
"A 20 pack of cigarettes in Ireland cost's in excess of �7.30".

If we take �7.50 as a price which is only marginally in excess of �7.30, that's roughly equivalent to �5.65 per packet. You'll probably find that the price of most brands is nearer to �6 per packet.

So you won't find any bargains (irrespective of where you shop)in Dublin. The residents of N. Ireland don't all rush across the border to buy cheaper cigarettes in the Republic. If anything, it may well be that citizens of the Irish Republic will head north, into the UK, to get cheaper prices.

Chris

[jno]

there's a guide to airport shopping here

http://www.airportshopping.ie/retail/store/dub lin.asp

but it doesn't even mention cigarettes, so I suspect it's not something they slash the price of (if they sell them at all).

[buildersmate]

The cheapest way is to give up smoking.

[KARL]

It would not surprise me if the cheapest of anything is in town, not at the airport. But buildersmate is spot on.