Butter Trips

Summary

There once was a time when passengers would smuggle butter on trains running from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland. And more recently in Germany, budget-conscious shoppers would go one a boat trip to buy cheap butter. We take a look at the duty-free trade on ferries in European waters.

hidden europe 58 / Snippet / By hidden europe

It was 20 years ago this summer that duty-free sales on inner-EU shipping journeys were abolished. With effect from 1 July 1999, passengers could no longer pick up duty-free cigarettes, wines and spirits on ferry journeys between EU ports. The booze cruise from Sweden to Germany or from England over to France no longer held quite the appeal it once did.

There were those who had argued that the abolition of duty-free sales would have a disruptive effect on the international ferry market and lead to the closure of routes. The argument was based on the transport subsidy hypothesis, viz. that retail income from on-board sales helped keep ferry services afloat.

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Editorial hidden europe 58
Editorial

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Off limits

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Butter Trips
Snippet

By hidden europe

There once was a time when passengers would smuggle butter on trains running from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland. And more recently in Germany, budget-conscious shoppers would go one a boat trip to buy cheap butter. We take a look at the duty-free trade on ferries in European waters.

Read on
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Snippet

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Snippet

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Preview hidden europe 59
Preview

By hidden europe

A look ahead at hidden europe 59 which will be published on 11 November 2019.

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hidden europe 58

Butter Trips

Summary

Editorial

Feature

Feature

Feature

Feature

Places

Perspective

Consuming matters

Special spaces

Off limits

Words

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Snippet

Preview

Lost at sea: a Frisian tale

Frisian shores: the island of Sylt

At the harbour wall: port cities and the ties that bind