Dufry’s World Duty Free snaps up new long-term retail contract for 15 P&O Ferries ships

UK. Dufry Group has signed a new long-term concession contract with P&O Ferries to operate shops under the World Duty Free brand onboard 15 vessels. The ships serve several routes across the Channel, the North Sea and the Irish Sea.

The contract is critically timed in the context of the UK’s impending exit (‘Brexit’) from the European Union (EU) on 29 March, 2019. Brexit spells an almost certain return to duty free sales between the UK and remaining EU member countries (intra-EU duty free was abolished in 1999).

The transfer of the operations, involving 19 shops across a retail space of 3,600sq m, will be phased from April to May 2019.

Dufry said that the new contracts fit company strategy to expand its presence in the cruise and ferry channel.

Out of the total of 15 vessels, six will sail the route Dover-Calais across the Channel, four will serve the North Sea routes Europoort-Hull (two vessels) and Zeebrugge-Hull (two), while the remaining five ferries will sail the Irish Sea from Cairnryan to Larne (two ships) as well as from Liverpool to Dublin (three).

Besides operating all shops, World Duty Free will be responsible for the refurbishment of the stores and for implementing “state-of-the-art” shop design to provide a tailored assortment proposition for each route.

Dufry Divisional CEO UK and Central Europe Fred Creighton pledged that the company will transform the retail experience onboard.

Passengers will be offered a selection of international and local brands of the main categories such as perfume and cosmetics, spirits, food and confectionery, tobacco, fashion and accessories, travel essentials, toys, souvenirs and gifts.

Dufry Divisional CEO UK and Central Europe Fred Creighton said, “We are extremely proud to have been awarded this new concessions contract and to have been entrusted with the transformation of the customer retail experience onboard the P&O Ferries’ fleet. We look forward to further develop the business with our partners to best serve the customers and to provide them with a memorable shopping experience at sea.”

P&O Ferries CEO Janette Bell added, “We are delighted to be able to partner with World Duty Free to give the customers on our ships shopping experiences of the highest quality. Our commitment to creating memorable events for the people who travel with us is one of the reasons why so many of them tell us that their holiday begins as soon as they set foot on our ship.”

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