Reinstate tax-free shopping for international visitors to the UK
Reinstate tax-free shopping for international visitors. We think the lack of tax free shopping discourages tourists, harms retail and hospitality sectors, and drives spending to rival destinations like Paris and Milan. We think it is damaging the UK economy and costing British jobs.
Signatures
51
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 51/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 51/100,000
- 19 FEB 2026Petition closedFinal total: 51 signatures
- 19 AUG 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
Since scrapping the VAT refund scheme in 2021, the UK has become one of the only European countries not to offer tax-free shopping to international tourists. We think this policy undermines our global competitiveness. Independent research shows that restoring tax-free shopping could boost GDP, increase employment, and generate significant tax revenue. We think tourists should feel welcome and valued — not penalised for choosing the UK. We call on the Government to reverse this short-sighted decision without delay.