Looking for duty-free bargains? Not so fast
‘‘We’ve seen chocolate that’s nearly double the price you’d pay at your local supermarket.’’
Jessica Wilson
Consumer NZ
Duty-free shops are not necessarily the place to look for a bargain.
Consumer NZ head of research Jessica Wilson says, in some cases, you might even be paying more than you would in a regular shop.
The organisation’s 2017 research found that, of 33 items price-checked in New Zealand, duty-free stores only had the cheapest price 10 times. Wilson said nothing had changed.
The organisation had made a complaint to the Commerce Commission but it did not investigate.
‘‘We’ve seen chocolate that’s nearly double the price you’d pay at your local supermarket,’’ Wilson said.
First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said dutyfree shopping was more about convenience, novelty and experience. Duty-free shops were trying to provide an edge in the increasingly competitive retail sector through special edition liquors, gift packs or product sizes that weren’t available elsewhere, he said. Duty-free shopping removed some of the hidden costs, such as shipping or duties. The other benefit was for buying last-minute essentials, he said.
‘‘People’s moods and barriers change when they get through security and the compelling merchandising
and luxurious products help ‘rationalise’ those purchases,’’ Wilkinson said.
However, Wilson said duty-free was still assumed to mean discounts by many people. ‘‘From duty-free stores’ advertising, it would be easy to assume they’re offering great prices on everything. Seasoned travellers may be wise to the fact this isn’t necessarily so, but that won’t be the case for everyone.
‘‘Not all products sold at dutyfree stores attract duty so there’s no real discount to be had. However, stores don’t do a good job of making it clear which products are dutyfree,’’ she said.
Similarly, the convenience offered by duty-free stores could be pricey, she said.
Stuff compared prices at several duty-free shops to standard retail outlets. Discounts were available, but not consistently.
OPI nail polish at The Loop Duty Free was between $15 and $16; at Lotte Duty-Free it was $15; and at Aelia Duty-Free it was $14.50. It retails for between $17 and $20 in pharmacies, but can be bought for $12 online at The Brand Outlet.
The cost of a bottle of Oyster Bay rose wine was $17.99 at Lotte but just $14.79 at Pak’n Save. The pricier Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc did not vary by more than 5 cents between duty-free stores and supermarkets. The wine cost $40 at Aelia and The Loop and $39.95 at Countdown.
At the luxury end of the market, perfume varied considerably. A 90ml bottle of Elie Saab Le Parfum eau de parfum cost $154 at The Loop, $165 at Lotte but was priced at $139 at The Brand Outlet. A 100ml bottle of Georgio Armani Si eau de parfum cost $186 at The Loop, $192 at Aelia and $237 at Farmers. Online retailer Cosmetics Now was selling the perfume for $170.95.
A pair of Senheiser HD 4.5 bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones cost $277 at The Loop, but $32 cheaper at JB Hifi and Harvey Norman at $245. Noel Leeming was selling the same item for $369.
Wilson said as with other purchases, people should check out prices at other retailers before buying duty-free. ‘‘Make sure you’re not paying over the odds,’’ she said.
The duty-free outlets in this story were approached for comment.