The main delights of shopping in Cardiff are to be found in the specialist shops and boutiques within the seven Victorian and Edwardian arcades located around the city centre. Major department stores, such as Howells, are situated in Working Street and Queen Street, the main pedestrian thoroughfares and in the shopping malls - Capitol Centre, Queen's Arcade and St David's Shopping Centre. The so-called ‘St David's 2' development is well underway and will bring new shops, cafes, bars and restaurants to the heart of Cardiff, as well as enhanced public areas and facilities and a modernisation of the existing St David's Shopping Centre. The development is expected to be completed in 2009.

Mermaid Quay is a popular development at the head of the inner harbour, designed as a ‘Covent Garden-on-sea', with growing numbers of speciality shops, restaurants and cafés. Cardiff Central Market, housed in an attractive Victorian ironwork building with entrances on St Mary Street and Working Street, sells fresh produce, including fish, meat and Welsh cheeses and is open Monday to Saturday 0900-1700.

About 50 antique sellers take part in the market at Jacob's Antique Centre, West Canal Wharf (tel: (029) 2039 0939), open 1000-1700 Thursday to Saturday. The Welsh Tartan Centre, 30 Castle Arcade, sells Welsh tartan gifts. There is a small specialist Chinese supermarket in Tudor Street, across the river from the Millennium Stadium.

Normal shopping hours are 0900-1800, although many shops open later on Thursday and Friday, while some major stores open on Sundays. At shops displaying ‘Tax Free Shopping' signs, non-EU visitors can avail themselves of the international Global Refund service, which offers VAT refunds on certain goods upon leaving the EU. Shoppers need to ask for a ‘tax-free cheque' when making their purchases, which is then stamped by customs upon leaving the EU. VAT on most items is levied at 17.5% and refunds are available for collection at Global Refund offices, located at major exit points. Alternatively the money can be credited to a bank account or a cheque sent to a home address.