Norway passes arrivals shopping legislation

Gavin Lipsith

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Travel Retail Norway's sources in the Norwegian government have confirmed that arrivals legislation was passed on Friday June 17

Norwegian travel retailers will be able to offer duty-free shopping to returning Norwegian passengers after the parliament approved legislation enabling arrivals shopping last Friday (June 17), RavenFox.com can reveal. Travel Retail Norway managing director Pål Wibe said that, although he was yet to receive the official letter from parliament, political contacts had confirmed the result.

Said Wibe: "The only questions we have now are whether we will be able to open arrivals stores on July 1 as we had hoped, or whether we will have to wait for another couple of weeks, and what requirements the Norwegian Customs authorities will place on the sales."

Wibe told RavenFox.com he is expecting an official letter confirming the date on which shops will be able to open within a few days. Travel Retail Norway—a joint venture between Gebr Heinemann and Norwegian domestic beauty retailer Esthetique Norge—is planning to open a 200sq m (2,152sq ft) temporary arrivals store at Oslo Gardermoen airport as soon as it is allowed.

"We will open the larger permanent store in November," said Wibe, "It is important to have a store open as soon as we can because the summer months are the busiest at Oslo. We are confident that we will be able to open on July 1 as planned."