Associations & Authorities

Working with Government Bodies

Duty-free and travel retail is very much a phenomenon of the second half of the twentieth century; its meteoric growth reflecting that of the growth in travel, particularly by air. Today it is an integral part of the travel experience for passengers and for transport providers, generating significant income vital to the financing of the ever-growing global transport infrastructure, airports in particular.

The duty-free and travel retail channel is arguably the most highly regulated of all retail channels, due to its bonded supply chain and to its operating environments, including airports and ports where security is paramount.

Travel Retail is also special as it operates as a single retail channel across multiple countries and territories, and all goods purchased in duty-free and travel retail stores are effectively ‘exported’ from a country with the purchaser, from the duty-free store.

The Public Affairs function enables Dufry to have a global view of the challenges to the industry posed through changes in social attitudes and regulations in the short-, medium- and long-term. By engaging with the different stakeholders, we aim to develop the best possible conditions to allow the industry to operate and achieve its full potential.

Understanding the broad thrust of the many drivers of regulation is key to working with other stakeholders to develop solutions which meet government objectives whilst giving the business headroom for growth.

Dufry is an active member of the major industry trade associations, on many serving as chair or on the board, and has in its own right developed effective relationships with policy-making institutions. 

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