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Purchases from non-resident travellers in the EU

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Purchases from non-resident travellers in the EU

Global Blue

Monthly information on expenditure on purchases in Spain by people who are not resident in the European Union, based on transactions for which tax refunds are given.

Global Blue has an approximate market share of 70% in Spain.

Latest data: March 2026 | Frequency: Monthly update | Last update: April 2026

INFORMATION

Travellers resident outside the European Union who leave the European Union within three months of a purchase are entitled to VAT refunds on such purchases.

It is important to distinguish between "residence" and "nationality", as Spanish nationals resident in countries outside the EU are entitled to such VAT refunds and are, therefore, included in the data. Residents of the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are also entitled to VAT refunds.

Since January 2026, the SHOPPER CLASSIFICATION variable uses a classification that only considers total spending and no longer considers the number of trips within the segmentation logic. All the information can be found on the COMPARISON page of the dashboard:

  • Top table: The filter includes the classification that considers the number of trips as a buyer segmentation variable: Elite: Individual international shoppers who have spent > 40,000€ since January 2018 -Frequent: International shoppers who have made > 3 trips since January 2018 -Infrequent: International shoppers not classified as Elite or Frequent and with at least one transaction since January 2018.. This data is available from January 2019 to December 2025.
  • Bottom table: The filter includes the classification considering only total spending: Aspirational: total spending less than €3,000, Affluent: total spending between €3,000 and €20,000, High-spending: total spending between €20,000 and €70,000, Very high-spending: total spending greater than €70,000. This data is available from January 2019 to the present.

Definitions

  • Percentage of transactions:

    Electronic Value Added Tax refund document for travellers (DER) completed by shoppers. Each document relates, by law, only to a single purchase (receipt or invoice issued by the business). Percentage evaluated per province.

  • Percentage of shoppers:

    Shoppers who have submitted at least one electronic Value Added Tax refund document (DER). Percentage evaluated per province.

  • Percentage spend:

    It corresponds to completed sales amount of the transaction (Euros). Percentage evaluated per province.

  • Average spend per shopper:

    Average spend per shopper in a province (Euros). The calculation of the average expense of the shoppers according to nationality, class of buyer, and/or age group, has been carried out as a weighted average of the average expenses corresponding to the aggregation.

  • Shopper classification (Classification that considers the number of trips):

    -Elite: Individual international shoppers who have spent > 40,000€ since January 2018 -Frequent: International shoppers who have made > 3 trips since January 2018 -Infrequent: International shoppers not classified as Elite or Frequent and with at least one transaction since January 2018.. This data is available from January 2019 to December 2025.

  • Shopper classification (Classification that considers only total spending):

    -Aspirational: total spending less than €3,000 -Affluent: total spending between €3,000 and €20,000 -High-spending: total spending between €20,000 and €70,000 -Very high-spending: total spending greater than €70,000. This data is available from January 2019 to the present

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