Amsterdam Schiphol
Amsterdam duty-free joint venture outlines grand ambitions
As Lagardère Travel Retail and Schiphol Group establish a new joint venture to manage the core category duty-free stores at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, we speak to both partners about the path ahead.
“We are all excited and happy to see the transition take place. This is a huge occasion for Lagardère Travel Retail.”
So said Bruno Gouisset, newly-appointed CEO of the duty-free joint venture between Schiphol Group and Lagardère Travel Retail, as the clock ticked towards midnight on 30 April. The new JV to manage core-category duty-free shops at the airport had just taken legal form, and Lagardère Travel Retail teams from across Europe were at that moment installing new back office platforms and cash tills to allow trading under its systems on 1 May.
The Moodie Davitt Report joined the partners to witness the changeover – which also marked the end of Gebr. Heinemann’s decade-long shareholding in Schiphol Airport Retail – on a night of history and high excitement at the Dutch hub. [Click here for our on-location coverage.]
The new alliance takes over close to 30 stores, combining perfumes & cosmetics and sunglasses spaces with those dedicated to liquor, tobacco & confectionery.
The partners plan to combine these core categories under one roof in each lounge, addressing the relative lack of space and the fragmented nature of the duty-free stores at Schiphol today. A template will be set in the new-look Lounge 1 store which opens across a 1,500sq m footprint on 20 June, with lounges 2 and 3 to follow amid an ambitious refurbishment over the next two years.
In all, sales can double over the next decade with more effective spaces and enhanced visibility and opportunity for brands, according to Lagardère Travel Retail and Schiphol Group.
Speaking to us in the days before the handover, Bruno Gouisset noted that the process is more complex than most other airport concession changeovers. “You have the takeover of different companies, each with their own DNA, identity, know-how and culture, in this case in Kappé (beauty & sunglasses) and Schiphol Airport Retail (LTC, led by Gebr. Heinemann). So to the operational transition you add the human and organisational change. There is no such thing as a smooth handover, but the people are passionate and committed and a pleasure to work with, that is a good starting point.”
Transition time: Lagardère Travel Retail and Schiphol teams are set for the big switch on the night of 30 April
On the coming together of the two parties to date – even before the formal JV only came to life on 1 May – Schiphol Group Director Commercial Terminal Tim de Bie said: “We have had a close and strong collaboration since we began in January. Our teams are working together across seven different implementation streams from logistics to IT to people to marketing and digital, alongside a steering committee to coordinate all of these actions with fast decisions taken on where we go next.”
The customer will see some big changes even before the major store investments are completed.
Gouisset said, “From day one we have a pledge on price positioning and we will defend the duty-free price promise. This price positioning will alter overnight.”
Price positioning in this context means “the best products at the best prices”, added Gouisset. “You will not buy cheaper in duty free. We are not a discounter, and clearly there are cases where you can sometimes find a single item cheaper online, but overall you will see the best prices across the range.
“We will assess and benchmark product by product, and then we have pricing rules that allow us to be competitive versus this benchmark. Our prices will be adjusted based on the full assortment to secure a competitive price position.
“In early June we will launch a campaign to tell our customers all about what this means, across PoS, screens and staff of course.”
A glimpse of how core-category wines & spirits will appear at Schiphol in future
Addressing price positioning in the context of brand partners, Gouisset noted that pricing “is more a retailer topic than a brand topic, as long as you don’t affect the brand image through your pricing”.
He added, “Brands that work with Lagardère know the price strategy well. This is adapted to our strategy at Schiphol but is quite similar to the one we have at the main airports we operate in already. They know we do quality retail with a competitive price promise.
“And I must say brands have been very supportive of this project. They know that the retail will change dramatically in the next years and that Schiphol has more potential to grow than other European airports. We believe we can double the business. So brands want to be part of this. They understand that the opportunity must be taken now to benefit in one to two years, they are ready to invest and they don’t want to miss the train.”
The value message is also a critical one for Schiphol to communicate under this new partnership.
De Bie said, “Price is part of a total promise we are making at Schiphol. That element is backed by us changing these many smaller stores into fewer, larger outlets combining the core categories. Also, the total number of square metres will increase with the changes we plan. That also creates efficiencies with one rather than say three cash till systems.
“We can finally do proper brand presentation for hero brands. All of this is backed by a full upgrade of each lounge, which will feed into how we present and brand the overall environment. So the airport as a whole will be lifted to another level, from retail to dining to wayfinding to all of the detail in each.”
How duty-free spirits appears in Lounge 2 today
Dutch gifts to the fore in Lounge 2
A signature move will occur on 20 June with the opening of the first flagship store in a big airport redevelopment, at Schiphol Lounge 1.
“Although it will not be exactly the same, this will come close to the Lagardère DNA,” said Gouisset, “with a lot of brand personalisation, service and support from the staff.
“This will be the starting point of what we want retail at Schiphol to become in the next years, with a more trendy concept, with room to attract new brands and offer them visibility in a layout that was not possible before.”
Brand opportunity will begin early too, adds Gouisset, with the Lagardère Travel Retail global animation calendar to include Schiphol locations from June. “The stores will benefit from the scale that Lagardère Travel Retail brings already from this point.”
Gouisset also identified opportunity to develop core-category duty free at Schiphol in a number of key areas.
“On the assortment side, clearly we can improve on niche fragrances, trendy makeup and natural skincare within beauty. In future there may be opportunity for temporary or permanent monobrand shops in beauty or other areas, which don’t really exist today.
“We can better premiumise chocolate and confectionery, where there is a gap today in terms of price and a luxury offer. There is room for more specialisation here and for us to bring in brands such as Pierre Hermé. We like the idea of a ‘Chocolate House’ concept, inspired partly by the luxury wines & spirits store Exquisit already at Schiphol. That concept is something we can build on.
“On alcohol, we can also develop more tailor-made assortments by shop and by customer, creating a better connection between who we serve in what store, even if the overall offer is wider.
“We will also dramatically increase the number of staff in shops, as we know that advice from well-trained teams leads to sales. Also we will work with brands to ensure there are more experiences and always have something happening to enhance appeal. It’s not easy in Schiphol with the way space is laid out, but that is a key target.”
The JV plans to host “fewer but bigger animations” across categories. “Instead of 20-30 spots in the shops we’ll focus on two or three but make these really impactful events. We think this contributes more to showing newness than smaller animations,” said Gouisset.
Speaking as the transition neared completion on the night of 30 April, Gouisset said: “This is a big milestone and a historic night for Lagardère. It’s a new story in a new airport for us, and I’m sure we will look back on this in a few years with pride and say ‘we were there’.”
A further view of the future duty-free design
Partner’s message
Partner’s message
The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 344 | 7 May 2025
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 6 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com