AFCOV Index shows slight recovery

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Second quarter figures show overall improvement but liquor, tobacco and beauty sales are still well below last year

French trade organisation Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV) has released its latest index comparing sales and sales per passenger with last year's figures. The second-quarter figures show a slight improvement on the first months of the year, although revenue from the core liquor, tobacco and beauty categories remains well behind 2003 sales.

In April, turnover from liquor, tobacco and beauty was down by 10.7% on the previous year, improving slightly in June to 9.4% down. Revenue per passenger fared worse and was almost 20% down in May, recovering to 15% down in June.

Sales in other categories compared more favourably with 2003 figures. In April sales hit a low of 23.3% down on 2003, but rose dramatically in June to show a 6.9% improvement from last year. Sales per passenger were level with 2003 figures in June.

The AFCOV Index measures sales across travel-retail outlets in France, including airports, ferries and Aelia's Eurotunnel operation. Since its inception last year the study has shown an industry struggling to maintain sales levels. Last year's hike in domestic tobacco tax has hit duty-paid tobacco sales especially hard, causing unfavourable comparisons to pre-2003 sales. 

Click here to view the latest AFCOV Index in PDF format. (In French only)