Post-Brexit changes to duty free allowance forces Majestic to close Calais stores

The UK’s biggest wine retailer Majestic has closed down its two stores in Calais, France, as changes brought about by Brexit have adversely impacted the business.  

The two outlets are reported to have brought in £10m in annual sales prior to the UK departing the EU, but since then sales have nosedived. The retailer first shut its Calais wine warehouse following new measures introduced by the French government in response to the Covid pandemic.  

Prior to Brexit, UK residents were permitted to bring any amount of alcohol for personal consumption across the Channel. However, now each adult is restricted to bringing a maximum of 42 litres of beer and 18 litres of wine into the UK. Additionally, each individual has an allowance of either four litre of spirits or nine litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or alcoholic drinks up to 22% abv.   

Majestic said that the stores were “no longer commercially viable”, despite its commitment to Calais made last September.   “Due to changes to the duty-free alcohol personal allowance following the UK’s exit from the EU we have taken the difficult decision to close both Les Celliers De Calais SAS stores,” a Majestic spokesperson told Retail Week.  

“They were designed for a very different operating environment built around helping our customers maximise their budgets and enjoy our great wines beers and spirits duty free.  Regretfully since the changes to allowance post-Brexit these stores are no longer commercially viable.”  

Majestic saw UK sales surge by almost a quarter (24%) to £377m during the first year of the pandemic with retail and online sales increasing by 35%.