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TRAVEL RETAIL SUSTAINABILITY FORUM (TRSF)


Curbing single-use plastics ‘top priority’ for shoppers, reveals TFWA insight


The importance of making sustainable choices across the travel retail value chain cannot be downplayed; in a post-coronavirus world, discerning consumers will be looking for more than just ‘green gestures’ and retailers and brands will need to act fast. Luke Barras- Hill highlights a recent study from TFWA.


O


n 16 July, Stephen Hillam, Managing Director, Pi Insight shared key findings


from the TFWA Sustainability in Travel Retail Study 2020, published for TFWA members in June. The study featured two research


phases aimed at unboxing how sustainability affects global travel and shopping behaviours. Phase one involved a quantitative


consumer survey featuring 2,456 interviews among 11 key travelling and duty free shopping nationalities. Phase 2 consisted of


telephone interviews among key industry stakeholders, with representation from brands in alcohol, beauty, confectionery, tobacco and electronics, plus retailers and airports. Hillam set the scene by demarcating


sustainable development in travel retail into importance and influence, priority areas, overcoming obstacles and optimising communications. He began by analysing consumers’ definitions of


sustainability,


which is defined in different ways: from environmental and ethical considerations and minimising consumption to choosing products that avoid plastics or come from recycled or recyclable materials. “As sustainability continues to


have this increasing influence on all of our day-to-day lives, it will undoubtedly be having an impact on travelling consumers’ behaviours when they are in the travel retail environment,” commented Hillam.


AUGUST 2020


Interestingly, just under half (46%) of respondents considered sustainability to be of high importance when choosing what to purchase in travel retail, but that importance fell when compared with the domestic market (58%).


Purchase decisions swayed Broken down by nationality, Indian (56%), Chinese (53%), Brazilian (52%) and French (51%) travellers placed more importance on sustainability. Needless to say, the debate around


sustainability has the potential to have a significant impact on duty free shoppers’ decision-making processes, explained Hillam. Tellingly, a much higher percentage


(71%) of consumers would have their purchase decisions influenced if presented with an item boasting ‘sustainability credentials’. Unsurprisingly, the importance


of sustainability pervaded most categories in travel retail, but it was notable in electronics (77%) and fashion and accessories (75%).


TRBUSINESS 15


Though alcohol and tobacco were less affected. Hillam went on to identity five


priority areas of sustainability within travel retail. Reducing single-use plastics – a


topic TRBusiness has been particularly vocal about via the Travel Retail Sustainability Forum and Plastic Pledge – emerged as a chief priority for travellers (35%), together with reducing overall packaging volumes (31%), reducing waste (29%), ethical


Above: Slide from the TFWA Sustainability in Travel Retail Study 2020 Webinar Presentation.


Just under half (46%) of respondents consider sustainability to be of high importance when choosing what to purchase in travel retail.


TRBusiness


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