When the new German-Danish border was re-drawn in 1920, it also brought a new phenomenon to the region: cross border trade. Until 1923, international trading was only of interest to Danes because of the German inflation - people exchanged their Danish kroner in Germany, multiplying their purchasing power and buying whatever they could transport.
The beginnings of today's shopping tourism, however, date back to the years after 1945, when the different supply situations and some price differentials enticed people to shop across the border. Danes bought tropical fruits in Germany, which were rare in their own country, while Germans preferred Danish dairy products - especially butter. Later, German buying interest focused mainly on Danish-designed furniture. Until 1972, Denmark prevented its inhabitants from taking advantage of the lower prices in Germany by imposing restrictive import limits. After Denmark's accession to the EU in 1973 however, it was gradually allowed to increase the quantity of goods across the border. Consequently, as taxes in Denmark were further increased in the following decades, more and more Danes crossed the border to buy taxed goods, such as beer, wine, cigarettes and sweets. Since the introduction of the EU internal market in 1993, Danes have been able to take almost unlimited quantities of beer and wine on their day trips. Since then, shopping trips from basically all over Denmark to the conspicuous border shops located at the busiest border crossings, have become worthwhile.
The beginnings of today's shopping tourism, however, date back to the years after 1945, when the different supply situations and some price differentials enticed people to shop across the border. Danes bought tropical fruits in Germany, which were rare in their own country, while Germans preferred Danish dairy products - especially butter. Later, German buying interest focused mainly on Danish-designed furniture. Until 1972, Denmark prevented its inhabitants from taking advantage of the lower prices in Germany by imposing restrictive import limits. After Denmark's accession to the EU in 1973 however, it was gradually allowed to increase the quantity of goods across the border. Consequently, as taxes in Denmark were further increased in the following decades, more and more Danes crossed the border to buy taxed goods, such as beer, wine, cigarettes and sweets. Since the introduction of the EU internal market in 1993, Danes have been able to take almost unlimited quantities of beer and wine on their day trips. Since then, shopping trips from basically all over Denmark to the conspicuous border shops located at the busiest border crossings, have become worthwhile.