Cardiff Airport extends Dufry's duty free store contract for 12 years
Dufry has successfully extended its contract to operate the tax and duty free store at Cardiff Airport in Wales for a further 12 years, following a successful partnership for the past 20 years.
Image courtesy Cardiff Airport
The store currently operates under Dufry’s Nuance branding but as part of the store redevelopment plans it will be re-branded as World Duty Free. This year, some initial improvements will be made to the 670 m2 store, with plans for further refurbishment throughout the partnership.
The store will retain its walkthrough format and the retail space will be more focused on the duty free offer and the core categories of beauty, liquor, confectionery and tobacco. A new in-demand feature that will be introduced to the Cardiff store is the ‘Reserve & Collect’ service, which allows customers to browse online and pre-order their products any time between 1 month and 24 hours before they fly and then collect them on departure. This enables customers to shop an even wider range brands and products from the UK, including many that aren’t available to purchase in the Cardiff store.
Commenting on the redevelopment, Fred Creighton, Chief Operating Officer in the UK for Dufry, said, “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to continue operating the tax and duty free store at Cardiff Airport for the next 12 years. The refurbishment we have planned for the store space and the new services we are introducing will clearly demonstrate our continued commitment to Wales and to our airport partner, in terms of taking the airport shopping experience to another level for passengers.”
Spencer Birns, CEO at Cardiff Airport said: “It’s fantastic news that the world’s leading duty free operator has chosen to partner with us for the next 12 years and continue to deliver an excellent shopping experience for our customers. We remain committed to improving the passenger experience at Cardiff Airport, and we are excited about the positive changes and opportunities that lie ahead. I’d like to thank Dufry for their ongoing commitment and trust in Cardiff Airport and we look forward to working alongside the team over the coming years.”
Alongside Duty Free, several retail outlets and eateries are now open in the Departure Lounge at Cardiff Airport. Customers can enjoy pub-style food and drinks in the Beer House and freshly brewed coffee, cakes and sandwiches at Costa Coffee. WHSmith and Well Pharmacy is also open for travel essentials, books and snacks and customers are now able to book the 51° Executive and Business Lounges for their journey. Both Lounges offer hot and cold food, locally produced snacks and Welsh beverages.
The Airport has also partnered with Nuffield Health to offer an on-site COVID-19 testing centre, located in the terminal building, so that customers can meet their travel requirements with ease.