“The real reason airport shops want to see your boarding pass”
It all started with an investigation by UK tabloid newspaper The Sun earlier this month into why UK airport retailers demanded to see passengers’ boarding cards when they made a purchase. The newspaper discovered that the demand had nothing to do with security issues – as many passengers had thought – but was in fact, it claimed, a “profit-boosting ruse”.
Many UK national as well as international media picked up the story, with government representatives and consumer rights advocates weighing in with critical comment and a research by the Independent which revealed that – while retailers suggest goods are tax free – these savings are often not passed on to customers.
An interesting debate that clearly underlines the need for travel retail to redefine its position in today’s retail landscape. ‘Tax fee’ price leadership or experience driven, entertaining luxury retail..? The future of travel retail is not what it used to be…
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