Lagardère Travel Retail wins tender to operate duty free at London Luton Airport

Lagardère Travel Retail is delighted to confirm that it has been selected to operate duty free stores at London Luton Airport following a competitive tender. As part of the ten-year contract, the company will carry out a comprehensive extension of its main duty free store at the airport, where Lagardère Travel Retail has operated since 2005. By the end of the concession, the company will have run London Luton’s duty free stores uninterrupted for over thirty years.

The new concession begins on November 1 2026, and will see a significant increase in duty free retail space, from the current 2,530m² to 3,340m². The main departures store at London Luton will increase in size by over 40%, from 1,870m² to 2,680m², giving Lagardère Travel Retail the opportunity to significantly enhance the shopping experience at one of the UK’s busiest airports.

In line with London Luton’s vision to create a shopping experience that is “unexpected, immersive, and seriously fun”, Lagardère Travel Retail will create a completely reimagined store that is easy to navigate, enjoyable to shop, with plenty of surprises.

In readiness for the new concession, Lagardère Travel Retail has designed a brand new commercial proposition for London Luton’s enlarged duty free store. Under the concept “Luton is the new cool”, the offer blends a comprehensive range of international brands with curated displays and a distinctive sense of place showcasing local heroes. Passengers will discover an exclusive Bottega Bar, developed specifically for London Luton and integrated within the duty free store. The extended offer will also feature iconic British and local brands such as Fortnum & Mason, Creed, Charlotte Tilbury and Cadbury, alongside a dedicated space for sustainable products, ensuring that the new store sets a fresh standard for duty free retailing.

Commenting on the award, Peter Newbould, Chief Executive Officer UK & Ireland at Lagardère Travel Retail, said: “This is a proud moment for all of us at Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland. Our teams have worked tirelessly on this tender and I am delighted that London Luton Airport have recognised 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 mobilised 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.”

Mark Jennings, Head of Retail and Surface Access at London Luton Airport commented: “
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.”

About Lagardère Travel Retail
Lagardère Travel Retail, a subsidiary of Louis Hachette Group (through Lagardère Group), an international group listed on Euronext Growth Paris, is a leading global Travel Retailer, with the longest standing expertise of serving the needs of travelers and partners across Travel Essentials, Duty Free & Fashion and Dining. Lagardère Travel Retail operates over 5,000 stores in airports, railway stations and other concessions in over 50 countries, and has generated €7.6 bn in sales (100%) in 2024.  ​
​We harness our pioneering culture to make travel more enjoyable with bespoke offers and experiences. We invest our world-class global expertise and local knowledge to design value-creating partnerships and experiences for our stakeholders: landlords, brands, travelers, employees and communities.  ​ We actively champion the more sustainable future of Travel Retail through our comprehensive CSR strategy, covering all aspects of where we, as a business, have an impact and can make a difference.  
www.lagardere-tr.com  ●  @LagardereTR