SCANDINAVIA. Customer confusion over pricing and the marketing of the travel-retail offer is threatening the future of the trade, according to research unveiled at last week's Nordic Travel Retail Seminar in Stockholm

SOUTH AFRICA. Campaigners have cited the impact of a duty-free tobacco ban on South Africa's shipping industry as a vital factor in the government's recent decision to withdraw the proposal to outlaw sales in the category

After half a century serving the travel-retail market, Belgian wholesaler and retailer Chacalli-De Decker is mustering its considerable experience and is poised to grab the future with both hands. DFNI talks to Seabourne Group executive director Mike Sheriff, charged with overseeing the company?s development.

Duty-paid tobacco sales in European travel-retail are in jeopardy, and this time it's not overzealous health legislation that is to blame. By Gavin Lipsith.

As quickly as it appeared, the threat to South African duty-free tobacco has vanished - at least for now - thanks to the united front presented by the local industry. Gavin Lipsith reports on a model for engaging regulators with the interests of the duty-free trade

Pre-order schemes are potentially big business in duty-free, provided retailers treat them seriously. One of the most experienced companies in this niche market is Inflight Service. Lorna Strickland reports on an under-developed sector.

Since the dotcom revolution, websites have become increasingly sophisticated in terms of both functionality and design. But have online offerings from the duty-free industry kept pace? DFNI asked an e-commerce expert to assess five leading duty-free websites on how well they met the needs of travelling consumers.

The Japanese recovery is finally under way and Kansai International Airport Co is hoping for a 30% uplift in passenger numbers this year to help celebrate its 10th birthday. Michael Eaton reports from Osaka

LATIN AMERICA. Carlos Wilson, president of Brazilian airport authority Infraero, is the latest big-name speaker to join the bill at this year's ASUTIL South American duty-free conference, to be held on September 8-10 in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

SPAIN. Aldeasa has greeted its five-year travel-retail contract extension at Madeira International airport by pledging to double retail space at the location

LATVIA. Riga International airport has drawn up extension contracts with its five key shop operators, including SAS Trading, all of which will continue to trade despite the loss of intra-EU duty-free in Latvia following its accession to the organisation on May 1

ICELAND. Operators at Keflavik airport have expressed relief at the Supreme Court's ruling on a competition complaint that has hindered progress at the airport for over two years

MALAYSIA. A new domestic terminal is under construction at Kuala Lumpur International airport that will feature 1,860sq m (20,000sq ft) of retail space promoting travel-retail prices

NORWAY. Two of the five shortlisted bidders in Norway's duty-free tender - The Nuance Group and Alpha Retail - have been eliminated from the contest as a decision on the winning bid nears

There were a few people saying "I told you so" at last week's Nordic Travel Retail Seminar in Stockholm, but no-one was getting any pleasure from it

UAE. Abu Dhabi Duty Free has launched its second summer promotion called Summer Fiesta

BULGARIA. Bulgarian border store operators are likely to have their rent payments to the government suspended under proposed legislation

UK. Interest is building in this year's Inflight Sales Person of the Year awards, to be held in London on December 8-10, with more carriers than ever pledging their support

MALTA. Malta International airport has opened three specialist shops in the departure lounge as part of a continued refurbishment programme

ESTONIA. Ferry operator Silja Line has opened its first ground-based liquor and tobacco store in the port of Tallinn

BELGIUM. Chacalli-De Decker is to expand its retail operations at regional airports in the Benelux countries, and hopes to extend its involvement with UK military retailer and caterer Navy, Army and Air Force Institute

DENMARK. Copenhagen Airports has embarked on an ambitious retail expansion project at Copenhagen Kastrup airport, to enhance passengers' sense of place

Tallink's Stockholm-Tallinn route is fast emerging as the Estonian ferry operator's most promising source of liquor, beer and wine sales, DFNI can reveal

Beringer Blass Wine Estates introduced a new umbrella brand for its premium and luxury Australian wine portfolio at the London International Wine & Spirits Fair last month

Shetland-based Blackwood Distillers is to launch the world's strongest commercially available gin this summer.

French cognac house H Mounier has launched a new cognac-based fruit liqueur aimed at young urban women aged between 25 and 35

Belgian retailer and wholesaler Chacalli-De Decker has voiced concerns that distributors competing to offer customer value may be damaging brand positioning as well as their own margins

French operator Aelia is attempting to offset sliding intra-EU tobacco sales by developing its confectionery and liquor offers to UK and northern European passengers

Intra-EU tobacco sales at Aldeasa's outlets have risen for the third year in succession

Dutch cigar supplier Agio has posted a rise of 30% in travel-retail sales in the first six months of 2004 compared with the same period last year

The EU's health council has issued a decree suggesting its individual members ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Inter Parfums is poised to expand its fragrances portfolio by acquiring several brand licences over the coming year

The Lancaster Group introduced its womens'fragrance Infiniment Chopard in Venice earlier this month

L'Oréal Luxury Products Division is continuing its bid to grow market share in the women's fragrance arena with the launch of its latest offer Armani Mania

Details of Sephora's expansion strategy for China have been revealed by industry sources

Prestige cosmetics brand SKII is proving a runaway success at Nuance-Watson's Singapore Changi terminal one and two duty-free shops

Elizabeth Arden expects this year's Asian sales to exceed 2002's by 10% following a testing year in 2003

German cosmetics house Artdeco is to make its duty-free debut in 2005, according to marketing director Anna Blasco-Salvat

Clinique lines up for lips; Revlon expands inflight; Clarins gets new look; No sweat for Biotherm

Kansai International Airport Co (KIAC) has ruled out introducing global confectionery brands at Osaka Kansai airport in the short term

Masterfoods International Travel Retail has posted a rise in sales of almost 50% in the Middle East in the year to date

Tourvest Duty Free's appointment to manage Virgin Atlantic Airways' inflight operations has resulted in the airline's passengers being offered several different confectionery items

Nestlé International Travel Retail is enjoying double-digit growth in food and confectionery sales with Dubai Duty Free after sales of its products at Dubai International airport reached a record 980 tonnes in 2003

Droste has announced the worldwide launch of a range of 18-piece 100g bars called Barettini in eight recipes

Dubai Duty Free is to open its destination merchandise store Gifts from Dubai on June 19

US plush toy supplier Hasbro is to focus on film merchandise this year

The bookshop concession at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion's new terminal three has been won by Bar Distribution

Electronics supplier Sanyo has launched the ICR-B170 digital MP3 recorder and player

Austrian crystal brand Swarovski is planning to boost its presence in global travel-retail, particularly in eastern Europe, where it has recently opened several outlets and has plans for further expansion

Australian supplier Emperor Jewellers has told DFNI that the TFWA Asia Pacific show was a great success for the company

Australian supplier Wellington Jeweller is pinpointing the duty-free channel as a means of gaining exposure outside its home market

Oregon-based global sports brand Nike is to open a showcase gateway store at its home airport, Portland International, next month

Victorinox Swiss Army has confirmed that HMS Host will be adding its apparel range to three, as yet unconfirmed, US travel-retail locations from mid-summer

German fashion house Marc O'Polo has opened a corner at Stuttgart airport in the multi-branded fashion shop-in-shop concept called Catwalk, developed by Gebr Heinemann

Italian textile manufacturer Mantero Seta has added US fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg to its long list of licensees, with a line of scarves and a women's beachwear and swimwear range that will be available from next summer

Asian travellers tend to buy more clothing and fashion items than intended at airports, but fewer bags and leathergoods, according to new data from a survey commissioned by Tax Free World Association