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Duty Free Allowances in the Canary Islands
Published December 3, 2007 | 
Despite being part of the EU, the duty free allowance in Lanzarote is somewhat different.
The Canary Islands are much cheaper to buy tobacco, alcohol and perfume than anywhere else in the EU. However the duty free allowance is a lot lower.
The bargains are much more often found in the supermarkets, or specialist shops in the resorts, rather than the airport or on the plane itself.
So when travelling back to the UK – these are the limits that apply.
Tobacco - 200 Cigarettes OR 250grms Tobacco OR 50 Cigars.
Alcohol – 1 Litre of Spirits OR 2 Litres of Sparkling or fortified wine, plus 2 litres of still wine.
60cc of Perfume OR 250cc of Eau de Toilet.
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37 Responses to Duty Free Allowances in the Canary Islands
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Hola Alexander. I’m sorry but I do not know for sure.
Elle x
Hello. Could you help me? Do you have any cuban cigarettes in your duty-free shops?
Best regards
Pauline, Earlier this year I bought a brand in Lanzarote called “Respect”, they are made of Virginia tobacco, just like here in the UK. They are brilliant and as good a smoke as the premium brands you buy here. The cost for a carton of 200 was 5 euros 50cents, yes thats right 5.5 euros or about £4.80 our money, at 48 pence a pack of 20 you can’t go wrong. Try them when you go.
Ron Sprason
Hello there.
Cigarettes – anything from €5 to €30. It depends on which brand.
Tobacco – sorry but I don’t have a clue. However, it would of course vary by brand just like the cigarettes
Elle xx
how much is 200 cigs from the carnary islands and much for 250 gram of tobbaco please
Hi Lisa – yes you can… lots of people do. Freeze it first, and don’t put it into your luggage until the last second. Even better if you can pop a couple of those freezer picnic packs either side of it.
Elle xx
can i take bacon. sausages ect into lanzarote i am going self catering and would like to know thankyou
So they won’t let you pay the tax on them? That’s seems a bit stupid if your willing to declare you’ve got more. Thanks
Hi Natalie. They don’t calculate tax – they simply conviscate the cigarettes from you if over the allowance.
Elle xx
Hi if I wanted to bring back more the 200 cigarettes from grand caneria and was to declare them how do customs calculate the tax? For example last time I found 200 cigs for around €6! now would the tax be calculated on what I paid over there or the equivalent price in the uk?
Hi Frances. I’ve never done it. I think you can (but they’ll tell you in the shop anyway). But you can buy spirits here so cheaply anyway… which is why we’ve never bothered.
Elle xx
duty free allowance from uk to gran canaria
hi last year going to a non eu country, turkey we were able to purchase 2 litres of spirits for 18 pounds at glasgow airport is this the same as gran canaria?
thanks
frances x
You can take back up to 200 cigs Jord… so don’t worry – they won’t give you a second glance for 50. They certainly wouldn’t pull you to one side for that amount.
Elle xx
Hey, If I only bring 50 or so fags back to the UK will they even give me a second glance or will they pull m over and talk to me about the cigarettes because I’m trying to hide smoking from my family, thanks.
how much is it for a pack of ten backy amber leaf
Any that you like Dawn.
Elle xx
please can you tell me what food items i can take into lanzerote
Hello there – no problem at all with taking your own sandwiches along – we, and others, do it all the time. Wrap them in clingfilm rather than tinfoil though… to make getting through security much easier.
Elle xx
do anyone know if i can make sandwhiches at home and take them onto the plane with me to lanzarote?
Nope – bring what you like love. As long as it’s legal of course!
People bring us teabags, and bacon all the time. Cereals are cheap enough here… so don’t use up space with those.
Elle xx
Hi, could you tell me if there ar any restrictions on taking foodstuff to Lanzorote? Thinking cerals, tea, susuages, bacon etc.
Thanks
No problem with bacon Denis… we have people bring us boiling bacon over from Ireland every so often. Just freeze them first to keep them cool for as long as possible.
Travel safely and have a good time!
Elle xx
I am going to lanzarote soon for a short break and would like to take a couple of packets of english bacon..are there any restrictions
thanks
Are you trying to use the line “oh well, I bought these at the airport when I flew out… and here’s the receipt to prove it”? Well… for one thing – the cigs here have Spanish health warnings on, whereas the ones on the English airports have those in English. So they would know that information is incorrect. They would probably stop you from buying that many at the airport in the first place. I seem to remember not being allowed to buy them when I flew somewhere that was then non-EU a few years ago (Turkey).
Ask them at the Duty Free Shop in the airport if you do not feel I have answered to your satisfaction. But at the end of the day – the law is the law… and should be followed. Don’t try smuggling cigarettes out of Lanzarote – or you run the risk of having them conviscated and possibly facing prosecution. As I said in a previous reply… these tricks have all been tried and are known to the staff.
Elle xx
if i buy 400 cigs from dutyfree in english airport and take them to lanzerote can i bring those back legally.
thank you
Hello Brian. No – 200 is still 200. Just about every trick in the book has been played to avoid the rules… that one included. Sorry – but the rules are the rules.
Elle xx
if i buy cigarettes in lanzerote and every packet was opened with one taken out do they still come under the 200 allowance or are they now void.
thank you
Hello there Dc. You can buy your 200 in Lanzarote… but you won’t be able to access the Duty Free shops when you get to Gatwick on your way home anyway hon. You can only get into those before you get on the plane.
Elle xx
if i buy 200 cigs from lanzarote and i buy some more in duty free at gatwick when i return from holiday is that allowed?
To take INTO Lanzarote – there shouldn’t be a limit (but do double check with your airline). But they’re cheaper here than the other EU countries… so confused as to why you’d want to.
Elle xx
How much duty free alcohol and cigs can I take into lanzarote?
Hi Josh. The limit on alcohol is in the article above hon.
“1 Litre of Spirits OR 2 Litres of Sparkling or fortified wine, plus 2 litres of still wine.”
Elle x
Ok, so ive gatherd that you can only bring back 200 cigs from Lanzarote but whats the limit on alchol?
I’m afraid not, David. Officially you can only take back 200 in total. This includes the ones that you bought at the UK airport.
Of course what you choose to do and risk is up to you – but they may get conviscated.
Elle x
If I buy 200 cigarettes at UK airport when going to Lanzarote. keep receipt, and do not smoke them all, can I bring them back to UK with me, in addition to 200 purchased in Lanzarote?
Hi Steve, and thank you for taking the time to ask a question.
The Canary Islands, are regarded as being outside of the EU for Duty Free allowances. So the limits for carrying duty free from Lanzarote to Spain is the same as if you were travelling to the UK unfortunately. So for example, you can still only carry 200 ciggies into Madrid from Lanzarote.
However, if you are then going on to the UK from Spain – you can take as many ciggies as can be deemed “personal use” if they were purchased in mainland Spain. Despite Lanzarote being Spanish – they are outside of the EU for tax purposes… so the “friendly” men with rubber gloves would know the difference if they picked you up at UK Customs. People have been caught buying too many duty free goods in Lanzarote – not getting stopped on the internal flight – but getting caught at UK Customs. Security for things such as this is less on domestic flights – but try it at your own risk.
Hope that makes sense – travel safely!
Elle xx
Dear Sir/Madam,
I understand the duty free allowances from Lanzarote to the U.K. but can anyone tell me what the allowance is coming back into mainland Spain from Lanzarote?
Thanks
Steve Sparrow