NORWAY. In a move that radically changes the face of Nordic travel-retail, airport authorities Avinor and Oslo Lufthavn have ended their 40-year partnership with SAS Trading after selecting Travel Retail Norway to operate duty-free at Oslo Gardermoen, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim and Kristiansand airports

SPAIN. Aldeasa is to unveil a radical new look for its retail operations when it opens in Madrid Barajas airport?s new terminal four, scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2005

As wireless technology opens up new revenue streams for airlines willing to invest, the industry's technophobes could find themselves struggling. Gavin Lipsith reports

Baker Salleh is steering Hong Kong?s Sky Connection through a period of unprecedented change, as Chinese travellers board planes in ever greater numbers. But merely catering to the habitual choices of its new clientele is not sufficient - the operator is also cultivating demand for new products

Steve Brock, Cadbury Schweppes International Travel Retail's new general manager, is a recent arrival to the confectionery trade. But he has big plans for the business he is now charged with heading up. Michael Eaton reports

While Ryanair ceo Michael O'Leary forecasts a battle among low-cost airlines struggling for survival, airports and retailers continue to invest in facilities that cater for this segment of the market. So how is travel-retail responding to the low-cost model? And what is its future? Dermot Davitt investigates

In the second article of our monthly series investigating purchasing habits and motivations among key consumer groups in travel-retail, DFNI and RFH Consumer Insight analyse UK travellers' spending habits. It seems that the British are a nation of self-purchasers, for whom gift-giving from travel-retail is relatively uncommon.

Category management - or catman, as it is often known - brings a scientific approach to retailing. But what does it actually mean to stores and their suppliers? And is it as potent as its superhero-style nickname suggests? Michael Eaton investigates

UK retailers are braced for a revolutionary change in credit card payment methods being introduced in a bid to combat fraud. Lorna Strickland assesses what the new chip and PIN system will mean for inflight retailers.

PORTUGAL. Lojas Francas de Portugal (LFP), the joint venture between The Nuance Group and TAPGER, a subsidiary of TAP-Air Portugal, is planning to expand its Travel Shopping concept by opening a new store at Porto airport

ITALY. Dufry Group's partnership with Bijoux Terner to open a shop at Rome Ciampino airport targeting the low-cost traveller could pave the way for similar moves at regional airports, the company told DFNI

IRELAND. The government's proposed split of state airports company Aer Rianta has caused controversy among trade unions and provoked intense debate in the country

FRANCE. Airport authority Aéroports de Paris (AdP) plans to include a retail area in a temporary boarding facility that will open while the judicial inquiry into last May's accident at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport terminal 2E continues

CHINA. Shanghai airport authority is expected to decide this week whether to retender or extend its airside general merchandise, fashion and packaged food concessions at Shanghai Pudong airport

ITALY. Associazione Travel Retail Italia's (ATRI) second annual conference held in Genoa on June 25 addressed the common issues facing Europe's travel retailers, including the challenge of low-cost airlines, and industry representation at regional and global level

Travel Retail Norway's dramatic victory in Norway's hotly contested duty-free tender last week looks set to change the face of airport retailing in the Nordic market

HUNGARY. The renovation of Budapest-Ferihegy airport terminal one is likely to include between 1,400sq m (15,064sq ft) and 1,700sq m (18,292sq ft) of retail and food and beverage space

CHINA. A new duty-free shopping area is planned for Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) if international traffic at the newly refurbished terminal one is sufficient

BELGIUM. Retailer and wholesaler Chacalli-De Decker and leading national airport retailer Belgian Sky Shops (BSS) are set to battle it out for the right to operate a 200sq m (2,160sq ft) travel-retail outlet at Liège airport's new passenger terminal

SWITZERLAND. Parliament's upper house rejected a proposal to allow arrivals duty-free shopping in the country on June 17. The proposal was made by member of parliament Hans Hess and was narrowly defeated by 15 votes to 13

UAE. Abu Dhabi Duty Frees Summer Fiesta programme of promotions could be more successful than last year's Summer Adventure campaign, according to the operator

UK. HM Customs & Excise is considering a proposal by the UK Travel Retail Forum that would exempt the travel-retail trade from requirements to affix tax stamps to liquor products bound for export

CANADA. Douglas Crossing Duty Free is hoping to open a permanent store on the British Columbia-Washington border by May 2005

Global wine and spirits distributor Maxxium Worldwide is to expand its travel-retail operations to cover several new markets, including Africa, the US, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of eastern Europe

Two new products in the Dewar's portfolio will be central to Bacardi's plans to expand its presence in the Scotch whisky market later this year

A UK-produced tonic wine is proving a duty-free hit in markets as far apart as Singapore, the Middle East and the Caribbean

South African supplier Wild Cape Liqueurs is looking to build travel-retail distribution for its flagship brand Wild Africa Cream

Beijing Capital International airport has unveiled plans to open its first dedicated cigar and wine shop

Belgian cigar maker Vandermarliere has introduced a new range of flavoured filter products to its Neos brand

Hong Kong International Airport liquor and tobacco concessionaire Sky Connection has reported strong sales in light variants of Chinese cigarette brands since stocking them last month

British-American Tobacco's attempts to distance itself from the US market have been approved after the Federal Trade Commission cleared the sale of its US division to RJ Reynolds

Japan Tobacco International has revealed plans to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of one of its key brands, Winston, at European airports this summer

One year on from the entry of Beyond Paradise to the fantasy fragrance market, its male counterpart has been revealed

Jacomo Paris may enter major Asian duty-free markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Korea, by the end of 2005

France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK will be the key markets for the first fragrance from Max Mara when it debuts in September

Spanish fragrance company Perfumes Y Diseño plans to expand its duty-free operations during 2004

Inter Parfums and Lanvin have signed a worldwide licence agreement to create, develop and distribute fragrances under the Lanvin brand name

Early figures from retailers in Portugal indicate that fans attending the European 2004 Football Championships are boosting fragrance sales across duty-free channels

Estonian skincare brand Orto plans to boost its presence onboard Estonian ferry routes this year

Duty-free retailers in Malaysia are responding to calls from Malaysian international trade and industry minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz to take a more aggressive approach to marketing duty-free cosmetics

An anti-ageing foundation is the latest addition to Guerlain's skincare brand Issima

YSL Beauté aims to gain credibility in the skincare market by developing its product range

Estée Lauder has unveiled what it described as a "ground-breaking" skincare product, Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Creme SPF 15. Future Perfect is an anti-ageing moisturiser that aims to compensate for a person's genetic predisposition to the effects of ageing.

Shonfeld's is seeking to tailor its colour-coordinated room sprays, hand soaps and bath oils specifically for the duty-free market.

Clinique eyes SPF market: Clinique has introduced its first eye product with a sun protection factor, Advanced Stop Signs Eye Preventative Cream SPF 15.

Cosmetics supplier and retailer L'Occitane en Provence has secured several new retail sites in Europe, where it plans an extensive expansion programme.

Bonardo Travel Retail managing director Alain Bonardo believes the company is on the road to recovery after surviving a difficult first year of trading

Butlers Chocolates is launching a range of children's confectionery consisting of Teddy Bear Lollipops in milk and white chocolate, plus hollow novelties

Cadbury Schweppes International Travel Retail has started to roll out a new generation of merchandising units in the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East and the US

Belgian Sky Shops has achieved record monthly sales of pralines at Brussels Zaventem airport in recent months, reaching the Eu1m ($1.2m) mark for the first time

Abu Dhabi Duty Free has reported that sales in its confectionery and food hall are up by 27% year-on-year in the first five months of 2004, just before the launch of its Summer Fiesta promotion

The Nuance Group will rival Chocolate Sales & Supplies as operator of the world's largest duty-free specialist chocolate shop when it opens a 330sq m (3,550sq ft) outlet on level 2 in the new Airside Center at Zürich airport in September

Italian premium and novelty specialist has highlighted two launches from its new autumn and winter collection as ideal for duty-free: Le Cremose bars and Gianduja Bitter Chocolate

Bahrain Duty Free, whose confectionery sales accounted for 8% of its retail turnover last year, has won an award from Nestlé International Travel Retail for the best merchandising standards in the Middle East for the company's products during 2003

German miniature electronics supplier Minox is launching a sales push in the Asia/Pacific region

UK stationery supplier Filofax has launched its summer range of diaries and Filofaxes

Plush supplier Golden Bear has launched an array of childrens products for domestic and duty-free markets

Model and collectibles supplier Corgi has launched new products with three themes: boys' action, military action and pre-school play

Model and collectibles supplier Humbrol has produced a Concorde airfix kit

US distributor Duty Free Expo has been appointed the new exclusive duty-free distributor for the Sani-Gen instant sanitary spray in all North American travel-retail

Distributors Lucid Initiatives and House of Brands are considering a merger

Italian jewellery supplier and retailer Zoccai Since 1839 is to expand its retail operations in its home country Italy

Swedish watchmaker Axcent of Scandinavia is expanding its 2004 assortment with the addition of new timepiece ranges

Swiss watch supplier Swatch is concentrating on sport this year for its product tie-ins

Austrian jewellery supplier Frey Wille is to open a 20sq m (215sq ft) store at Budapest Ferihegy airport terminal 2B at the end of August

Cologne airport will open its second Catwalk multibranded fashion outlet in October, just seven months after the launch of the first store in March in terminal two

German fashion house Escada, which has developed an exclusive inflight collection for travel-retail, is launching an updated onboard range in time for the TFWA World Exhibition in October

Following the TFWA Asia Pacific show, French fashion house Bandit Manchot said it will have to develop the contacts made in Asia if it is to build its travel-retail business

Dunhill is continuing to refurbish its travel-retail outlets in Asia with a further two projects in South Korea this year