Staff Reporter
GOOD news for British holidaymakers to Spain: the pound is making a comeback, and that means serious discounts are up for grabs in Europe.
Bouncing back from the December 2008 low of €1.04, the sterling exchange rate has hit a healthier €1.25.
Shoppers will notice the difference in almost any clothes shop across the country.
A pair of Zara snakeskin print stilettos, for example, are sold in the UK for €87.81 (£69.99), but the same pair can be found in Spain for just €59.99 (£47.74).
The British holidaymaker stands to save over €27.60 (£22) on one pair of shoes just for buying within Spanish borders.
But it is not just Spanish brands that offer significant savings.
Swedish clothing giant H&M prices women’s skinny jeans at €19.99 (£15.99) across stores in Spain, while the same pairs go for €25.08 (£19.99) in the UK.
But the news unfortunately rides on the back of a still-struggling Spanish economy.
The European Central Bank reported last week that inflation rates dropped to 0.4% – almost approaching the deflation danger area – compared to the UK’s 19% inflation.
The eurozone’s high unemployment rates are to blame, particularly in Spain where unemployment is at 24.47%.
Get a quote for currency exchange by visiting http://www.hifxpartners.com/theolivepress and see how much you could save.
Or call the HiFX Spanish Office on 951 203 986 and mention the Olive Press.
Brits should not shop in Spain until Spain stops victimising the the British people of Gibraltar.
There is at the moment a 3 hour queue to cross into Spain and it’s been there since 7:30 this morning.
Last night was similar until very late when the majority of the people who were affected were Spanish workers who are forced to find work in Gibraltar because Spain is incapable of providing work for them.
I couldn’t agree more Fred, boycott Spanish shops.
60 million tourists due to visit Spain this year – I doubt many of them will be concerned with the disputed colony of Gibraltar issues. Whether they shop or not will be done to pricing competitiveness I imagine. It’s a strange report though – again quoting a mythical 19% inflation in the UK, which seems totally against all the evidence…
19% U.K. inflation is probably a misprint, but even if it’s meant to be 1.9%, it’s still a fiction.
Question = Are the prices quoted after tax or before? I am not saying boycott Spanish shops, what blame can they have on the PP Government trying to strangle them as well as Gibraltar. With such high taxes been poured on goods and every other service you can think of, the problem might be that the prices quoted above may be before tax and the tourist may have not clicked on that before making their way. If the added tax were included the items would not be so favourable. The word is that tourists are taking up the all inclusive extremely cheap tariffs at hotels, and the surrounding businesses, especially the restaurants, coffee shops and bars are being left with empty chairs. What a detrimental administration they are proving to be all round.