What to buy in England? — Top 25+ souvenirs & best things to buy in England

As a beauty in the long-standing traditional cultural quintessence of London in particular, and England in general, enjoying a warm cup of tea in afternoon has become an unforgettable experience for many visitors. In particular, after enjoying London tea, visitors also want to buy teapots and cups as gifts for their loved ones. Intricately designed teapots and cups can be found in many shops and neighborhoods in London. Spend some time sipping tea with your loved ones, and reminisce about the good times you had in London!

Best gifts from England: Charm beads

If you love pandora charm bracelets, then buy these charm beads in London. But it will be much more special, because the charm beads products sold here are all prominent symbols of this capital, from the double-decker red bus, to Big Ben or Buckingham Palace and the romantic Thames, …

Best things to buy in UK: Tea

​The British love to drink tea, especially sipping tea in afternoon has become a unique cultural feature and tradition here, so there is no better souvenir and meaningful than tea. One of the most popular tea brands in the UK is Whittard and Twinings. You can easily find this tea brand all over London. In case you don’t like tea, then check out this brand’s hot chocolate as well.

With afternoon tea culture, it is impossible to ignore buying tea in the UK as a gift. The Whittard chain of stores is very famous in the “land of fog”. You can freely choose your favorite tea because this shop offers a wide range of teas from around the world. Don’t forget to take the time to enjoy a cup of premium tea here!

Best things to buy in UK: Biscuits

When drinking tea, the British often like to sipping it with a few small biscuits. The biscuits are affordable but extremely quality with many different brands: Custard Creams, Digestives, Jammie Dodgers, Jaffa Cakes. These biscuits are widely sold in large supermarket chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s…

Best things to buy in UK: Notting Hill Shopping bag

Notting Hill is a district of west London that became famous in the UK and worldwide after being inspired by Notting Hill movie. Coming to Notting Hill, visitors will experience many unique festivals, explore bustling markets, integrate into the daily life of many classes of residents, and especially, can enjoy shopping with countless of interesting items especially fashion. Stemming from that idea, the Notting Hill shopping bags were born, and loved by many, with 100% cotton fabric. Surely this will be a unique souvenir for relatives, especially those who want to use environmentally friendly products, instead of plastic bags.

What should I buy in England: Icon Clocks

The lovely icon clocks printed with the British flag, the London symbols, etc. are the gifts that many people love. These clocks are designed in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. They are sold at shopping malls, watch shops in the city. If you want to buy meaningful and valuable gifts, you can buy these clocks to give to your friends and relatives.

Stella McCartney Pembridge bags, purses or wallets

Also an eco-friendly design, the Stella McCartney Pembridge zipper clutch bag is the product of famous fashion designer Stella McCartney. They come in elegant, sophisticated colors, designs with embossed logos and designer names, and can hold up to about 9 credit cards. Purses, wallets are also other attractive suggestions for a gift you can bring back from London. It will be even more fashionable when you combine a purse with a matching handbag.

What should I buy in England: London Memory Game Sets

This will be an ideal gift for your friends and relatives, especially for those who have not yet set foot in London. These game sets are suitable for all ages, both children and adults. The game has 25 pairs of images of famous landmarks of London such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Tower of London, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, etc. Players must match the cards into pairs of different images by themes, such as food, pubs, books, or train stations.

What to buy in England: Liberty Silk Fabrics

Considered a unique gift that you can only buy in London, Liberty silk fabric has elegant colors, eye-catching patterns, sophisticated designs, and especially high-quality fabrics. If you’re still undecided on what to buy as a gift in UK, check out a few stores of this brand and pick up some of your favorite silk fabrics!

Smartphones and electronics

The two most famous and prestigious smartphone and other smart devices manufacturers in the world today are Samsung and Apple. Although, the UK is not the manufacturer or founder of these two giant companies, but if you do not know what to buy in the UK, you should still buy their smartphones or other devices such as smart watches, earphones… Because England owns the world’s busiest shopping districts. It’s also where has an opening sale of new phone product lines launched as soon as possible.

Electronic products that want to selling the UK must comply with extremely strict standards, so you can rest assured. Shopping places that visitors can buy smartphones in the UK like the company’s retail systems in the UK or buy products at other shopping places such as Regent Street.

What to buy in England: Beatles Souvenirs

The worldwide famous band The Beattles is a musical group originating from the port city of Liverpool. However, one of the band’s most popular and successful albums was recorded in London. If you are a fan of The Beattles, near Baker Street Station, you can find a shop specializing in this band’s memorabilia called London Beatles Store (Address: 231-233 Baker St, London NW1 6XE, United Kingdom/Hours: 11AM–5PM).

Must buy in UK: Seeds

Columbia Road Flower Market (Address: Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG, United Kingdom/Hours: Sunday: 8AM–2PM) is one of the most famous weekend markets, in particular, this market has been established since 1800. To bring a flower pot from England to your home is almost a difficult task in terms of transportation as well as preservation, for convenience, you should only buy seeds of your favorite flowers.

What to buy in England: Keychains, refrigerator magnets

In addition to iconic clocks which mentioned above, you can also buy lovely keychains with the symbols of London and England such as Big Ben, London Eye, Buckingham Palace… They are designed according to many different ideas, shapes, sizes including landscapes, flags, signature vehicles such as red double-decker buses, etc. These keychains are both small and pretty, so many tourists choose to buy them as souvenirs for your friends before return home. In addition, refrigirator magnets are also good souvenirs to bring back.

Must buy in UK: British commemorative coins & stamps

A special event takes place in London every year where a number of coins and stamps will be issued by the Royal Mint and Royal Mail. They will become a unique souvenir for visitors who still do not know what to buy in England for souvenirs.

Also, if you want to buy gifts for the little ones at home, choose something cute like a London snow globe. You should go to the Hamleys toy store with a lifespan of hundreds of years to choose. Surely these gifts will be extremely unique and fascinating.

Must buy in UK: Traditional British handicrafts

Britain is a great country with a long history and full of interesting milestones. Besides trendy and modern gifts, you can also buy traditional British souvenirs. These souvenirs are exquisitely crafted, imbued with British cultural traditions. Some traditional souvenirs include iconic wall clocks, ceramics, textiles, etc.

You can buy nostalgic, antique souvenirs such as clocks, traditional items, souvenirs in the UK at Portobello Road Market – The UK’s famous antique market. Coming here, you can not only visit and shop but also have the opportunity to see antiques, some of which are up to 300 years old. This market is only open every Saturday with opening hours from 9am to 7pm.

If you want to buy pottery or jewelry items as souvenirs at an affordable price, go to the shops located at Tate Modern neighborhood.

Must buy in UK: London Magazines

Also like France with beautiful and sought-after fashion magazines in the world, some London’s magazines also bring great value if bought as souvenirs.

Don’t you know the London magazines? No, you just don’t know these magazines are from London! Monocle, Industrie, Gentlewoman, Elephant, Port, The Green Soccer Journal and LOVE… buy some of these as souvenirs!

Must buy in UK: Scottish Whiskey and London Cocktail

Whiskey and Gin are favorites around the world, and London’s cocktails are also premium drinks that showcase the class and sophistication of travellers.

London is also home to the world famous winemaker Fever-Tree with premium drinks prepared by special and secret recipes. Small bottles of wine or cocktails can be purchased for easy check-in upon boarding.

Best England souvenirs: Graphic novels

If your friends are novel fans, then buy some graphic novels for them. Note that the UK is home to many novelists with many popular novels. For example, Harry Potter series, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Sherlock Holmes series, Jane Eyre… Why not pick up some graphic novel versions and send them to your friends?

Best England souvenirs: London theme home decorative items

London is home to many the world’s famous attractions such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, The Shard… Some London home decorations are beautifully designed, such as metal or polyresin decorative panels printed such famous tourist landmarks.

Best England souvenirs: Sportswear reminiscent of world famous clubs

UK is not only is a great and influential country in the world, but it also attracts attention when it owns a very professional development football league called Premier League with famous and world leading football clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United…

If you are a football fan or simply want to buy souvenirs for your loved ones, you can buy gifts related to these clubs and its league such as: T-shirts, keychains, mugs printed logos of the clubs, scarves, soccer balls with players’ signature…

UK shopping guide: Where to shop?

Below are best shopping places in London and England where you can shop for yourself meaningful souvenirs and gifts which we recommended above.

London

Regent Street and Jermyn Street

Shopping in London you can not miss Regent Street and Jermyn Street with mid-range fashion stores of famous brands such as Hamleys, Liberty and The Apple Store. In addition, there is the Jermyn street area with men’s shops or tailor shops such as Benson & Clegg, John Lobb.

Notting Hill

The next shopping destination in the London must be mention is Notting Hill with unique shops, vintage clothes, souvenirs, antiques, organic food, all kinds of books. In which, the most famous is the Portobello Road market with shops located close together, nearby is the high-end shopping area Westbourne Grove, cafes and art galleries.

Boxpark

It is headquartered in the heart of East London, Boxpark in Shoreditch with fashion stores full of big and small brands for visitors to shop comfortably. In addition, there are also cafes, theaters and galleries.

Oxford Street

Referring to the shopping places in the UK, Oxford Street is a famous, bustling and vibrant district with more than 300 shops with all kinds of the world’s top design brands. Among them, the Selfridges department store with famous stores such as John Lewis and Debenhams or Primark store. In addition, there is also Topshop in Oxford Circus or small streets such as Berwick Street, Place St Christopher are also attractive shopping places.

Bond Street and Mayfair

Bond Street and Mayfair are home to impressive high-end designer boutiques with their own style. This is also the largest shopping destination in London with well-known brands such as: Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.

Westfield

It has two very famous shopping centers, Stratford and White City, with luxury stores like House of Fraser, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer with all the famous brands like Jimmy Choo, All Saints, Louis Vuitton, Ted Baker. In particular, it also has a gym, bar, cinema and food shop.

Savile Row

This is a very famous tailor town in England, coming to Savile Row you can choose for yourself old-fashioned costumes at extremely reasonable prices. You can refer to famous shops such as: Henry Poole & Co specializing in tailoring or Huntsman & Sons, Gieves & Hawkes, Ozwald Boateng, Abercrombie & Fitch store.

Camden

Traveling to the UK, you cannot ignore a unique fashion shopping destination that is Camden. There are many fashion shops in Gothic architecture selling all kinds of tattoos and clothes. In addition, in Camden you can also find jewelry, souvenir items and all kinds of items for visitors to shop comfortably.

Canary Wharf

Shopping in the UK cannot be missed in the Canary Wharf, a part of ​​Docklands with its modern shopping malls. Canary Wharf possesses up to 200 stores selling all kinds of high-end goods, products from fashion, bags, shoes, cosmetics of famous brands such as Zara, Oasis, Myla, Jo Malone… However, when shopping here, you need to be careful to avoid going at noon because it’s very crowded.

Spitalfields

Where to shop in the UK? Spitalfields is home to its own boutiques featuring famous designers. You can shop at Mercantile and Collectif Clothing with famous brands such as Belstaff, Barbour. In addition, the traditional spitalfields market also has fashion, antique and food stalls.

Birmingham

The first place to shop in Birmingham is Bullring & Grand Central, which offers traditional items, Jewellery Quarter, Selfridges Birmingham…

Manchester

With the main shopping area stretching to the west with shopping places: St Ann’s Square, Deansgate, King Street,… with many famous brands such as Arndale, Harveys Nichols… Pottery products, textiles to furniture, clothes are sold in all the large and small shops close together in the city center.

Bristol

Broadmead & Cabot Circus are two of Bristol’s shopping places, known as the city’s business district, with an impressive 120 stores.

UK shopping guide: Some notes before shopping in the UK

• To be able to shop in the UK in the most efficient, safe and economical way as well as avoid violating the rules of this country, you should consider and remember the following notes:
• The biggest sale of the year in the UK comes right before Christmas when stores slash their prices. In addition, stores in the UK often have different sales with much discounts at different times of the year such as holidays, New Year Eve, Labor Day…
• When buying goods and souvenirs in the UK, visitors have to pay an additional 20% VAT except for some items such as daily food, books and children’s clothing. In the UK, there is a tax refund policy for tourists, but each shop has a different rate of tax refund. On average, if you buy at a store with an invoice over €75, you will be refunded the VAT.
• You should not buy products that are difficult to store or preserve because during your trip, you will encounter unexpected changes in weather that will affect the quality of the product.
• If you need to buy a lot of souvenirs, you should choose small and light gifts for convenience in traveling. If the gifts you buy are liquid, don’t forget to wrap them well with many layers of newspaper to prevent them from breaking in flight.
• When buying souvenirs in the UK you also need to find carefully, pay attention to the terms related to checked-baggage, what to allow to bring in and out when flying if you do not want your gift to be held by customs.
• Amount of foreign currency allowed to bring in or out: Amount under 10,000 euros (or other foreign currency of equivalent value) from (or until exit) a non-EU country: Not required to declare. Amount over 10,000 euros (or other foreign currency with equivalent value) from (or until exit) a non-EU country: Must declare. If you bring foreign currency from the UK to an EU country or from an EU country to the UK, the amount of foreign currency brought depends on the regulations of that country.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to London you can refer to

• Shared London Airports (LHR, LGW, STN, LTN, LCY) Transfers to/from Central London
• Private London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Transfers for London
• Tower of London Ticket
• London Pass with 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• London Eye Ticket
• Madame Tussauds London Ticket
• Westminster Abbey Ticket
• London Visitor Oyster Card
• London Travelcard
• London Explorer Pass
• London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tours (Open-Top)

Are you looking for more top things to do in London: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here. And Where should I go in London? — 21 top famous places to go, see & best places to visit in London.