VAT refund

Each of those countries is its own separate taxing authority, and they don’t overlap each other, so you’ll need to claim your French VAT refund when leaving France, Swiss VAT refund when leaving Switzerland, and UK refund when departing London. Make sure you’ve spent at least the minimum required for a refund, all at the same store, although you can make purchases at several stores, as long as you’ve spent the minimum at each store for which you will claim a refund. Have the purchased items with you at the refund window at each airport, with the receipts, and any VAT refund paperwork the merchant(s) will provide.

Thank you so much!! :)

and UK refund when departing London

that's no longer a thing. The previous government banned that when they pulled up the drawbridge after brexit.

Nigel’s point is key. Flew out of Heathrow, this spring, and got to watch one woman have a meltdown when she realized that whatever she bought in Paris would not be eligible for the vat in London. She was screaming at the Virgin Atlantic check encounter, as if they could suddenly produce that refund, (trust me they can’t do that. )

and UK refund when departing London

that's no longer a thing

Sorry - I thought there was still a VAT refund for tourists buying in the UK but not using the products before leaving, and taking them home, not that I’d ever qualified or tried for a VAT refund before, or since. I see now that they went away as of January 1, 2021..

At least enjoy your French and Swiss refunds, each handled through separate transactions.