The suppliers at Heathrow are gearing up a campaign to oppose abolishing Duty Free on inter-EC travel. Of course, they always use the terminology of "Tax Free" instead of "VAT free". There is a strange reluctance to focus in on "Excise Free". Could it be because spirits are already Excise Free, and the shops have been ripping us off with their so-called "Duty Free" pricing ? Can anyone remember if, before the days of VAT, prices of spirits on "outward bound" boats were substantially lower than those on land ?