ETRC Stepping up to the challenges B


eing a little less than 14 days into her tenure since taking over as Secretary


General at the European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) when TRBusiness sat down with her earlier this month, Julie Lassaigne would be rightly forgiven for playing her cards close to her chest on how she plans to tackle a number of duty free regulatory hurdles lying ahead. In her first industry interview


since taking the position, in which she succeeded long-time incumbent and important industry advocate Keith Spinks, Lassaigne was as buoyant and optimistic about the industry’s future as she was candid and forthright on its ever-tricky regulatory path ahead. Not least, the impact of Britain’s impending Brexit, EU regulations on food information in the alcohol, beauty and confectionery categories (among others), and air passenger rights. Having been with the trade


association since 2013 and before that with Hume Brophy, Lassaigne has nearly 10 years’ experience in travel retail and her background in public affairs expects to lend a different approach to the ETRC bargaining table.


A different profile “This gives me a very different perspective on how to address issues,” she tells TRBusiness. “My job is to talk to policy makers and influence the way we can operate. “My profile is very different from


Keith – he was one of a kind, with a particular background in taxation and tobacco in particular.” “I will bring my own assets, ways


of doing things. Being responsible for the Alcohol Working Group and Confectionery Working Group, I already have very close relationships with our members in a number of core categories. I am trying to now emulate that throughout the whole membership.” Among her early plans to shape


the ETRC’s strategic agenda is an approach rooted in action, not


FEBRUARY 2019


Julie Lassaigne has pledged to increase the European Travel Retail Confederation’s (ETRC) membership from key quarters, as the newly appointed Secretary General sets her sights on galvanising wider industry support against the challenges facing duty free. Luke Barras-Hill hears her plans for year one.


reaction, she describes. “Having worked now in this


organisation for several years, what I see common across all the categories is we tend to be very reactive when we have to tackle issues, so I think we need to be much more proactive in defending each category, but also the industry as a whole.” The ETRC’s partnership with the


Duty Free World Council on its ‘Alcohol Code of Conduct’ is one example of close, early co-operation to address issues concerning the category in particular countries through education and highlighting best practice examples and campaigns carried out by ETRC members. “There is a lot to be gained by


talking as an industry and being responsible in the way we behave. That is my key driver for the first year; how we can better work together across each category but also with all our partners – airports, ferry companies…and everyone part of that microsystem.” Lassaigne also plans to grow the


ETRC’s membership base to add more brands, notably from the beauty category. “We have about 40 corporate


members at present, but this number should be much bigger if you look at the size of some of the companies operating in European travel retail.” That task extends to retailers too,


with the ‘thriving’ maritime trade one channel lacking representation in the ETRC’s corporate membership base, she acknowledges. In the coming months and year,


Lassaigne will continue to prioritise a number of initiatives surrounding air transport security and air passenger rights as the ETRC aims to enshrine into legislation passengers’ rights to carry duty free shopping onboard free of charge. «


“My key driver for the first year is how we can better work together across each category but also with all our partners.”


Julie Lassaigne, Secretary General, ETRC


TRBUSINESS 21


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