tax-free Eligible Products: Which Stores and Items Qualify?
Key takeaways on eligible stores and items:
- Most retail stores can offer tax-free shopping, especially those that attract international shoppers (independent retailers, store networks, or premium brands).
- The range of eligible product categories is extensive: fashion, accessories, leather goods, watches and jewelry, beauty and perfumery, electronics, sports, home goods, gifts, and premium or luxury products. The vast majority of physical goods sold in-store qualify as tax-free eligible purchases.
- Three conditions apply:
- The purchase must be for the customer’s personal use,
- The goods must be exported in the customer’s luggage,
- The Minimum purchase amount must be met: €100.01 incl. VAT in France, €125.01 incl. VAT in Belgium — spent on the same day, in the same store.
Tax-free shopping is still too often seen as a complex process reserved for specific product types or a limited number of stores. As a result, many sales opportunities are missed simply because the rules are not clearly understood.
In reality, whether you are an independent retailer, part of a store network, or managing a premium brand, the vast majority of the products you sell in-store qualify as tax-free eligible purchases.
SolPay helps you quickly identify eligible items, secure your transactions, optimize your sales, and fully capitalize on the business opportunities that a Tax-free service creates.
Conditions for Offering a tax-free Service in Your Store
A product qualifies for tax-free shopping as long as it meets all three of the following conditions:
- The Minimum purchase amount is met: €100.01 incl. VAT in France and €125.01 incl. VAT in Belgium, depending on where your store is located, for purchases made on the same day in the same store.
- It is intended for personal use (not for resale)
- It is exported outside the European Union by an eligible traveler,
tax-free eligible product categories
The list of products that qualify for tax-free shopping is extensive. In practice, tax-free shopping applies to most physical goods sold in-store, provided they meet the required conditions.
You can find the full regulations on tax-free eligible purchases on the official Service Public Entreprendre website.
Most common tax-free product categories
Here are some of the most common product categories sold by the retailers we support as a tax-free-refund operator:
- Fashion and accessories: clothing, shoes, bags, eyewear, etc.
- Leather goods: bags, wallets, luggage, etc.
- Watches and jewelry: watches, jewelry, and fine jewelry pieces
- Beauty and perfumery: fragrances, cosmetics, skincare, etc.
- Multimedia and electronics: smartphones, tablets, cameras, and electronic accessories
- Sports and outdoor: sports equipment, technical apparel, and leisure gear
- Home and décor: decorative objects, tableware, home textiles, and home appliances
- Gifts, souvenirs, and crafts
- Premium and luxury products, which are especially popular among international shoppers in tourist areas.
These categories are particularly attractive to international shoppers and often generate the highest average transaction values in tourist areas.
If you sell one or more of these product categories, contact us to explore the full sales potential of tax-free shopping for your store.
Products excluded from tax-free shopping
Customs regulations define a list of Non-refundable items. These exclusions apply to goods subject to specific tax regimes, security constraints, or export restrictions, which are not compatible with the VAT refund scheme. These include:
- Tobacco,
- Petroleum products,
- Regulated cultural goods,
- Weapons and ammunition,
- Private means of transport and their equipment,
- Fuel and ship’s provisions,
- Goods subject to trade embargoes,
- Services.
If you do not sell these products, your store is generally well positioned to offer tax-free shopping to international shoppers.
Is your store eligible for tax-free shopping?
A tax-free service can be implemented by most retail businesses selling eligible physical goods. It is especially relevant in tourist areas — city centers, near cultural landmarks, or along major travel routes — where international traveler traffic is higher.
In practice, tax-free shopping is commonly offered by:
Sports stores
Jewelry and watch stores
Perfumeries
Pharmacies and drugstores
Fashion and accessories stores
SolPay supports all of these store types — from independent retailers to large chains — with solutions tailored to your specific setup: in-store environment, point-of-sale software, expected tax-free transaction volume, operational constraints, and compliance requirements.
To find out whether your store is eligible for tax-free shopping, contact our team.
Frequently asked questions
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Which products in my store qualify for tax-free shopping?
In most cases, the physical goods you sell in-store qualify for tax-free shopping.
Fashion, accessories, jewelry, watches, perfumery, electronics, sports gear, home décor, and gifts are all commonly eligible. Only a limited number of specific categories defined by regulation are excluded.
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Which products should I exclude?
Only a few specific categories fall outside tax-free shopping: tobacco, fuel, weapons, certain regulated cultural goods, services (including after-sales service), and goods subject to restrictions or trade embargoes. These exclusions are limited and affect only a small portion of most store inventories.
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Can my store offer tax-free shopping?
If your business sells eligible physical goods, your store can generally offer tax-free shopping. This applies to many stores in tourist areas, but not only there. Independent retailers, store networks, and premium brands can all benefit from a tax-free service tailored to their operating model.
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Can jewelry and electronics qualify for tax-free shopping?
Yes — these are high-potential categories for tax-free shopping and can be used as a strong sales driver in-store. Contact the SolPay team to get started.