Lagardère Travel Retail wins London Luton Airport duty free tender

Lagardère Travel Retail has been selected to operate duty free stores atLondon Luton Airport following a competitive tender process. The ten-year contract begins November 1, 2026 and includes a comprehensive extension of the main duty free store at the airport, where Lagardère Travel Retail has operated since 2005.

Increased retail space

The new concession will increase total duty free retail space from 2,530square meters to 3,340 square meters. The main departures store at London Luton will grow by over 40 percent, from 1,870 square meters to 2,680 square meters.

Lagardère Travel Retail has designed a commercial proposition under the concept “Luton is the new cool,” blending international brands with curated displays and local products. The store will feature an exclusive Bottega Bar developed specifically for London Luton and integrated within the duty free space.

“This is a proud moment for all of us at Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland,” said Peter Newbould, Chief Executive Officer UK & Ireland at Lagardère Travel Retail. “Our teams have worked tirelessly on this tender and I am delighted that London Luton Airport have recognized our determination to take the quality of duty free retail to a new level here. We’ve built a strong platform in Luton over recent years but we can always do more to ensure we meet the changing needs of our customers.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate our teams not only in the UK but in Paris and around the world for their help in securing this success, and I know they are fully mobilized to ensure we deliver on our promises. I would also like to sincerely thank all at London Luton Airport for their trust. We look forward to working closely with them to achieve our common goals together.”

“Securing the new concession at London Luton gives us an excellent platform to continue our development in the UK across our three business lines – duty free & fashion, travel essentials and dining. Through a relentless focus on quality and delivering value for our partners and our customers, we will achieve our ambitions for growth,” Newbould concluded.

Mark Jennings, Head of Retail and Surface Access at London Luton Airport, said,“Lagardère Travel Retail has proved its credentials in duty free over many years at London Luton Airport and we are delighted to continue our collaboration with them. Several companies provided excellent, detailed responses to the tender, and we thank them all for their professionalism. Lagardère Travel Retail’s proposal stood out for its quality and for matching our assessment of the potential of the duty free business at London Luton. Our plans to raise the bar for retailing at the airport are ambitious, and we look forward to working with Lagardère Travel Retail in this new chapter for commercial activities at Luton.”

By the end of the concession, Lagardère Travel Retail will have operated London Luton’s duty free stores uninterrupted for over thirty years.

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