World Duty Free gets Christmas boost

Gavin Lipsith

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Beauty and liquor are among the categories to have benefited from a festive surge at World Duty Free’s outlets

World Duty Free (WDF) has reported a sales uplift in the beauty and liquor categories as passengers at the seven UK airports where it operates stores get into the Christmas spirit.

In the past week cosmetics sales have increased by 10% compared to the same week last year. Champagnes, both vintage  (up 18%) and non-vintage (up 11%), are also in big demand while the traditional Christmas favourite Baileys registered a 40% sales increase last weekend alone, and is expected to continue with 25% week-on-week growth until the end of the year.

WDF said that, in the cosmetics category, products which promise healthy, glowing skin—such as Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat and Clarins Beauty Flash Balm—are driving sales. WDF head of beauty and luxury goods Debbie Ansell said: “The sexiest celebrities out there glow with health and dewy, gleaming skin. This Christmas our customers are seeking to emulate this look, with the best of the moisture rich and radiance products flying off the shelves as gifts for others and gifts to self.”

WDF head of liquor Fraser Dunlop noted that passengers are opting more for premium products during the Christmas period. He said:  “When it comes to Christmas, we find that our customers are typically quite traditional—malt cognac, champagne, port, wine and Baileys have been at the top of the December sales lists for the last 5 to 10 years. The main difference we have noticed over the last decade is that customers now increasingly self-treat by upgrading their other purchases.  For example, at this time of year, they tend to swap non-vintage for vintage champagne and standard VS cognac for XO cognac.”