Changi reports 15% sales growth in first two months

Print Article E-Mail Article

Duty-free sales at the Singapore airport grow strongly in January and February despite negligible passenger growth

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has reported a sudden surge in duty-free turnover at Changi airport in the last two months. Duty-free sales overall are up 15% year on year, said a spokeswoman, despite flat passenger traffic numbers.

The retail expansion in Terminal 2 is paying off, she said, helped by the strong euro and Australian dollar. Recovery in liquor was particularly strong, with sales up 10% in January and February on the previous month, while fragrances and cosmetics performed even better, up 20% over the same periods. Fashion was also doing very well since the addition of more boutiques, while cameras were doing "phenomenally well", said the spokesperson.    

The recent one percent increase in Singapore's GST has had no noticeable effect, she said, adding that duty-free shoppers at Changi can still expect minimum savings of 5% on domestic prices. "We have an international pricing policy, and we benchmark against other airports, not the domestic market,'' she said.