World Duty Free to Cocoon beauty with new concept

World Duty Free (WDF) has revealed plans to launch an ambitious and innovative new beauty concept at London Heathrow airport terminal one, replacing The Beauty Centre. The Cocoon Beauty Sanctuary is a store initiative designed to house new brands as well as premium skincare and well-being products, many of which have never been available in an airport environment before. A timescale for the introduction of the concept is still being finalised.

Over the past five years, consumer demand and the trend towards niche beauty brands has grown the UK domestic skincare market by 45%, according to WDF. Offering customers the “unexpected and desirable”, Cocoon will also be the first time products such as Dermalogica, Dr Sebagh, This Works, Decléor and Ren will be available in the UK at tax-free prices. The store will include a Dermalogica treatment room offering facials. The room is designed to be relaxing and “non-intimidating” for consumers and will feature cream walls, curved fixtures, cool limestone flooring and Hessian black panels to give a refreshing and light appeal.

A gift wrapping service will also be offered on request and tester tables will be positioned at the front of the outlet to enable customers to try “hero” products before they buy them. The Cocoon concept will also be rolled out to other terminals.

World Duty Free managing director Mark Riches said: “At World Duty Free, we make it a priority to monitor trends within the domestic marketplace and to anticipate what our customers want. I am therefore proud to announce the launch of Cocoon, which we believe our customers will hugely appreciate and will enhance their experience of shopping at World Duty Free and at the airport. Cocoon offers our customers a totally new and exclusive airport beauty experience, which will enable us to continue to break new ground in beauty, broaden our customer base and underlines our continued commitment to world-class retailing.”