Martin Lewis’ shopping warning for people going to Spain or Greece

Martin Lewis has cautioned travellers to be vigilant about their shopping choices if they are planning to go abroad in the near future.

In the most recent blog post by Martin Lewis on moneysavingexpert.com, the site’s founder advises travellers that they can save money by timing their shopping strategically. The financial guru cautions: “If you’re among the millions contemplating a trip to Spain this summer, halt your Zara purchases immediately.”

The blog post was originally written in 2014 and updated this week with the latest details.

The reason is that the prominent Spanish fashion brand offers clothing in its home country at prices much lower than in the UK. Consequently, it is advised to wait and make purchases in Spain for better deals.

A price comparison of Zara items in Spain, France, Greece, and Italy reveals that products like blazers, dresses, and children’s clothing are significantly cheaper. Often you’ll see a price difference of £30.

Discussing the table, which you can view here, he explains: “So from this small sample, it shows that on average prices are 31 percent cheaper in Spain and Greece than the UK, 14 percent cheaper in France and Italy.”

Martin Lewis adds: “The price difference is enormous. The pound price is often higher than the euro price before you even convert the currency (which further cheapens the euro price).”