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Introduction by: Peter Marshall

The travel retail industry seems to be continually at a critical crossroads, facing increasing pressure from various economic, regulatory, and consumer-driven forces. And as Erik Juul-Mortensen, the outgoing president of the TFWA, emphasised in a recent interview, the need for robust, reliable data to navigate these challenges is more important than ever. Additionally, he added that the industry must rethink how they collect, assess, and act upon data to demonstrate the industry’s size, importance, and long-term sustainability.

In light of these remarks, it’s worth examining how data collection, assessment, and insights can serve as powerful tools for brands and retailers in travel retail. More importantly, we must explore how focusing on execution, rather than chasing unattainable data, can lead to significant business growth.

This feature provides valid and valuable insights from Garry Stasiulevicuis and, frankly, is compelling reading – not just for brands, but for all engaged in Travel Retail.


The Increasing Importance of Data in Travel Retail

Juul-Mortensen’s statement that “The need for robust data is more important now than ever” reflects the growing complexity of the travel retail landscape. With stakeholders—including brand owners, retailers, airports, and even governments—demanding more transparency and accountability, the ability to provide empirical evidence about the industry’s size and importance is crucial. However, achieving this goal requires a structured approach to data, grounded in three core areas: data collection, data assessment, and deriving actionable insights.

  1. Collecting the Right Data: A Multi-Layered Approach

The first step Juul-Mortensen outlined is that businesses need to “look at what data we can collect and how we collect it.” Travel retail presents several challenges when it comes to data collection, particularly in comparison to traditional retail models.

EPOS: A Data Barrier in Travel Retail

One significant roadblock is the unlikelihood of EPOS data becoming widely available in the industry. Unlike domestic retail environments, where EPOS data is more freely shared, travel retail operates under a concession model where retailers often guard their data closely. There are several reasons an EPOS style product is likely to come to market soon:

  • Retailers monetise their data, seeing it as a revenue stream. Sharing this data freely would undermine their commercial interests.
  • Concession agreements further complicate data sharing. Retailers operate under competitive conditions in travel hubs, which discourages open collaboration.
  • Regional differences and governance issues prevent the standardisation of data collection across regions.

Given these hurdles, brands should focus on the data they can access, rather than chasing EPOS data that is unlikely to materialise in this space.

  1. Assessing Data and Forming Insights: Making the Most of What You Have

The second point Juul-Mortensen makes is about the importance of “assessing that data and forming insights based on empirical evidence.” While the industry may face limitations in terms of direct EPOS data, brands already have access to a considerable amount of information from other sources.

Retailer Sales and Shelf Data: A Wealth of Untapped Insights

Brand owners often receive sales data from the retailers they partner with, allowing them to track the performance of their products. Additionally, brands can access retailer-specific shelf data, which provides valuable insights into how products are being displayed, promoted, and sold in stores.

However, the key issue is not the availability of data, but how effectively brands are using it. Many brands tend to focus on headline-grabbing promotions or high-profile activations, but how often do they dig deeper into their base business? Brands should ask themselves some critical questions:

  • How often do customer marketing and marketing teams really look at retail execution beyond high-profile promotions and major executions?
  • How many brand owners now have category management functions?
  • Which brands are really looking at their base business and addressing the fundamentals to grow the baseline?

The answers to these questions may reveal a significant gap in execution and category management, both of which are vital to driving long-term growth in the travel retail sector.

  1. Deriving Actionable Insights: From Data to Strategic Execution

Finally, Juul-Mortensen highlights the need to “consider what conclusions emerge from the data and how this can be used to anticipate change and shape actions.” This is where the real power of data lies—not just in its collection, but in turning it into actionable insights that drive business outcomes.

Execution Over Data: A Shift in Focus

In travel retail, execution is often the missing link between data and business success. Brands can have all the data in the world, but if they don’t act on it, they are missing opportunities to grow their business. Retail execution involves ensuring that products and related activities are consistently well-stocked, displayed correctly, and aligned with marketing strategies.

A major issue in the industry is that brands tend to focus on big-ticket promotions while neglecting everyday execution. But in a competitive and complex environment like travel retail, baseline growth is just as critical as high-profile promotions. By concentrating on the fundamentals—ensuring proper stock levels, optimising shelf placements, executing promotions consistently-everywhere and maintaining consistent pricing—brands can unlock incremental growth.

Collaborating with Retailers for Category Growth

Another important area of focus is retailer collaboration. While retailers are increasingly looking for support from brands to drive category growth, this requires a fundamental shift from transactional relationships to more strategic partnerships. Retailers need more than just new product offerings or promotions from brands—they need data-driven insights that can help optimise overall category performance. However, many retailers themselves are not paying enough attention to in-store execution, which limits their ability to maximise category growth and efficiency.

For example, how many retailers are thoroughly assessing assortment efficiency? Are they truly analysing whether the range of products on offer meets consumer demand or if there are too many SKUs cluttering their shelves? SKU density is another critical factor—overcrowded or poorly managed shelves can confuse shoppers and reduce sales. Yet, many retailers fail to evaluate whether their SKU selection is optimised to balance variety and simplicity.

Additionally, planogram implementation and compliance are often overlooked. Planograms are designed to ensure that stores are set up to maximise product visibility and encourage sales, but how often do retailers ensure these are being followed consistently across all locations? Planogram compliance is a vital part of maintaining an organised and consumer-friendly store environment, yet many retailers fail to audit their stores for proper implementation.

To truly drive category growth, retailers and brands must focus on these areas of store execution in more detail. By collaborating more strategically with brands, retailers can leverage data to optimise execution. This not only benefits the retailer but also strengthens the overall brand-retailer relationship, creating opportunities for sustained growth and differentiation in the market. Brands that help retailers focus on these critical aspects of store execution, rather than just offering new products or promotions, will stand out and drive greater success for both parties.

Data for Future-Proofing the Industry

Juul-Mortensen’s comments also point to the larger role that data can play in future-proofing the travel retail industry. As external pressures—such as changing consumer behaviours, regulatory scrutiny, and economic volatility—increase, brands and retailers need to do more than simply react to these shifts. Instead, they must actively anticipate changes and integrate them into their retail execution strategies.

One area where this is particularly evident is the current industry focus on Gen Z. While there is plenty of conversation about capturing the attention of this demographic, which is set to become a key driver of future growth, there remains a significant gap in execution. Gen Z consumers are increasingly resistant to traditional retail environments, often preferring to shop online or avoid physical stores altogether. What are brands and retailers really doing to address this shift? Are they merely talking about Gen Z, or are they adjusting their retail execution to reflect how this demographic interacts with brands?

To drive meaningful growth, it is essential that brands adapt their in-store experiences to align with the expectations of this emerging consumer group. This means not only making stores more engaging and tech-driven but also rethinking product displays, marketing strategies, and how new trends are reflected in every aspect of retail execution. Understanding these shifts through data-driven insights and acting on them will provide a solid base for growth in an industry where younger consumers may not be drawn to traditional store formats. The challenge is to integrate these trends into the execution framework, ensuring that the in-store experience evolves in tandem with consumer preferences.

Conclusion: Embrace the Data You Have, Focus on Execution

Erik Juul-Mortensen’s insights underscore the growing importance of data in the travel retail industry, but they also highlight the need for a shift in mindset. Instead of chasing elusive EPOS data, brands should focus on the data they already have and how they can use it more effectively. Execution—ensuring that products are well-stocked, displayed properly, and aligned with marketing strategies—is where brands can make the most significant impact.

Brands that focus on retail execution, collaborate closely with retailers, and use their data to drive strategic decisions will be well-positioned to thrive in the challenging and competitive world of travel retail. The time for action is now, and the companies that embrace robust data strategies will lead the way forward.

Peter Marshall

Founder: trunblocked.com/Marshall Arts
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