A recent price analysis reveals that nine out of ten products at Arlanda's tax-free shops are more expensive than online. The study, conducted by Prisjakt, found that 433 out of 500 compared items, including skincare, perfume, and sunglasses, were cheaper online. On average, tax-free items were 38% more expensive, with some products costing up to 2,777 SEK more at the airport.
Tax-Free Shopping: More Expensive Than Online
Tax-Free Shopping: More Expensive Than Online
A new price analysis shows that nine out of ten items at tax-free shops at Arlanda are more expensive than online.
The belief that tax-free equals lower prices has long been a widely accepted truth.
However, an analysis by Prisjakt paints a completely different picture.
Out of a total of 500 compared products in categories such as skincare, perfume, and sunglasses, 433 were cheaper at online stores. This corresponds to almost nine out of ten items.
"On the way to vacation, many people turn off their economic compass, and many travelers assume that tax-free means cheap," says Isabella Ahmadi, consumer expert at Prisjakt, to SVT.
2,777 SEK More Expensive
The study, conducted in early June, shows that tax-free items were on average 38 percent more expensive than equivalent products at online stores. In some cases, the price could be triple in the tax-free shop, and in extreme cases, a consumer might have to pay 2,777 SEK more for a serum at Arlanda than if purchased online.
"The risk of paying unnecessarily high prices for products in tax-free shops is significant," says Isabella Ahmadi, consumer expert at Prisjakt.
However, there were a few exceptions. The study showed that some perfumes could be around 30 percent cheaper in tax-free shops, and two serums were sold for just over 550 SEK less than online.