Dubai Duty Free announces record sales in 2009

Andrew Pentol

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Company bucks global trend to register record sales of $1.14bn last year

Dubai Duty Free (DDF) overcame the challenges of global economic downturn and the H1N1 flu epidemic to end 2009 with record annual sales of $1.14bn — an increase of 3.76% compared to the previous year.

Sales in December reached a record $122m — a 9% increase compared to the same month in 2008— while sales on December 20, the day the company celebrated its 26^th anniversary, reached $17.3m due to a special discount offer. In 2009 DDF recorded over 20.3m sales transactions, an average of 55,800 per day.

Fragrances, which accounts for 14% of total sales, remained the best-selling category with sales of $157m, an increase of 2% on the previous year, while liquor and gold were the next best categories in terms of sales. Tobacco sales rose 15% to become the fourth best-selling category and confectionery sales increased 11% to take fifth position. Other increases were registered in the gifts from Dubai category (17%), sunglasses (19%) precious jewellery (20%) and ladies fashion (36%) resulting from the extended fashion offer in terminal three which opened at the end of 2008. Last year DDF was also announced as the world’s biggest single airport retail operation based on sales analysis from Generation Research.

President of Dubai department of civil aviation and chairman of Dubai Duty Free HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “Dubai Duty Free like most other businesses felt the impact of the global recession particularly in the early part of the year. I am delighted, however, that the operation has successfully turned sales around in the second half and a new annual record has been achieved.”

DDF managing director Colm McLoughlin added: “Without doubt 2009 will be remembered as a year of challenges. I am pleased that as a retail operation we reacted quickly to those challenges and worked closely with our suppliers and staff on a number of initiatives.”