Global Travel Retail operators have undertaken strategy revisions as the channel faces a ‘new normal’ following the worst of the pandemic.
In this month’s issue of Global Drinks Intel magazine, retail editor Kevin Rozario links recent activity at the outlet operator level with an evolution of the channel. Concurrently, however, alcohol brand owners face a struggle to match sales levels in GTR pre-COVID-19 as the cost of living continues to rise.
“This is a time of transformational opportunity for Global Travel Retail,” says Bacardi’s AMEA & GTR regional president, Vijay Subramaniam, in Rozario’s article. Elsewhere, Rozario correlates operator Dufry’s purchase in July of majority control of Autogrill as an indication of a “rethinking of … strategies”.
“Brands may have to work harder to achieve the same level of sales to travellers,” Rozario adds. “Curbs on consumer travel spending could follow [the ‘cost-of-living crisis’], creating yet another obstacle for the duty-free channel to overcome.”
The October issue of Global Drinks Intel magazine was published this week. For more details, including how to subscribe to Global Drinks Intel, click here.
