Gen Z protagonist of tax-free shopping: watches, perfumery and cosmetics the most popular categories
According to Global Blue, the younger customer segment is the only one to have recorded double-digit increases in both the number and value of purchases. In Italia the primacy remains with the big cities, but Taormina, Bellagio and Positano are advancing
We know that it is impossible to make predictions for 2026, particularly after the start of the war in the Middle East on 28 February. But 2025, for the global tax free shopping market, despite a general slowdown in fashion and luxury, had closed with a 1% increase, buoyed by the performance of Europe (+5%), which had offset the drop in spending recorded in Japan (-12%). On the subject of China, the figures for 2025 are also comforting: despite a contraction, the Chinese shopper still accounted for 21% of global spending in 2025, while maintaining a strongly regional profile: only a third of volumes went to Europe, where a -14% drop in average spending was recorded. In contrast, the leading role of US tourists was consolidated, with 15% of the market, driven by the Ultra high net worth individuals segment (+24%).
These and many other data emerged from the analysis presented in Milan by Global Blue, a leader in tax-free shopping. Leading the growth, in 2025, was Generation Z (those born between the second half of the 1990s and the end of the 1990s), the only target to record double-digit increases in both the number of shoppers and the value of purchases (+26% and +19% respectively).
The attractiveness of young people for all product sectors is significant, but Global Blue notes particularly high peaks in watchmaking and in the cosmetics and perfumery segment, both with a 34% increase in spending. A growing propensity for mobility also emerges: 24% of shoppers made purchases in two or more cities and of these, 71% preferred multi-city routes within a single country. Those who shopped in more than one city had a high profile, with an average receipt of more than EUR 2,300, almost double that of those who concentrated their shopping in a single destination. Italia was in line with the European trend, closing 2025 with increased spending volumes (+3%), driven by a significant expansion of the shopper base (+10%). The market was dominated by the Americans, a quarter of the total.
Among the emerging markets, the Global Blue research highlighted the growth of the Latin American region (+12%), which contributed 8% to total expenditure thanks to an 8% increase in terms of individuals. Brazil (43%), Mexico (25%) and Argentina (17%) are the leading nationalities of a target that allocates a third of its budget to premium and lifestyle brands (in the overall average, the figure drops to a quarter). Almost half of their purchases focused on clothing and bags. However, the fastest growing categories were watches, perfumery and cosmetics.
In the national context, Gen Z is also a growth driver. In the past year, the volume of young shoppers jumped by +28%, driving spending up by 16%. The watchmaking (+48%) and sportswear (+38%) segments stood out above all, followed by cosmetics and perfumery (+27%) and jewellery (+26%). Footwear (+11%) and handbags (+9%) were significant: in these categories, Gen Z consumption remained in positive territory, in contrast to the downturn in the other generational groups (-2% and -5% respectively).
