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(Top) Red ribbon time on the Czech-German border as the Travel Free alliance opens its latest shop; (Below) Some 15,000 original branded items are on offer |
CZECH REPUBLIC/GERMANY. A Gebr Heinemann/Unimex joint venture has opened its latest “˜Travel Free’ Shopping Center at the Selb-AÅ¡ border crossing.
The partnership between Prague-based Unimex Group and Hamburg-based trading company Gebr Heinemann trades as Travel Free s.r.o. The alliance described the new store as a “bargain haven”, with over 15,000 original branded items on offer. The border store is 30km from the German city of Hof.
“Customers can select from a wide range of products made by well-known manufacturers, at sensational prices,” it said. “A carton of West, containing 200 original cigarettes, costs almost half as much as in the German national market and savings of up to -40% can be made on a pound of coffee while, at prices between €15 and €20 lower here than elsewhere, an exquisite perfume becomes the ideal gift for Christmas.”
In addition shoppers can choose from a wide assortment of clothing bearing the S. Oliver fashion label, alongside offers from Tchibo Prozente.
The Shopping Center is located just after the Selb border crossing, which is used every month by around 400,000 Germans to enter the Czech Republic. It also features a conveniently located service station at what the joint venture described as “irresistibly attractive” prices. And, from the end of the year, customers will be able to dine in the Center’s restaurant or use the in-house casino.
ABOUT THE ‘TRAVEL FREE’ CONCEPT
For decades, value-for-money shopping has been a feature at the Germany-Czech Republic border. Until 2004 shops located between the passport control posts could offer their goods free of customs and tax charges. However with the entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union in May 2004 the Travel Free concept became the German-Czech equivalent of travel retail at border crossings.
Gebr Heinemann Manager for Eastern Europe Ralf Tiedt said: “Our many years of contact with brand owners and suppliers, in addition to our business relationships here in the Czech Republic, enabled us to convince all those involved, including the authorities, of the benefits of maintaining the popular border shops.”
As a result customers will continue to be able to take home up to 20lb of coffee, 50ml of perfume, 10 litres of strong spirits, or 20 litres of spirits with an alcohol content by volume of less than 22%. When they pay staff in the shop check that the maximum of permitted export quantities (including 90 litres of wine or 110 litres of beer) are not being exceeded.
Smokers also have reason for Christmas cheer – from the start of 2008, instead of the one carton of cigarettes previously allowed, they will now be permitted to buy as many as 800 cigarettes.
From 1 January 2008 the Schengen agreement will apply to the Czech Republic. With the removal of the obligation to present their passports, Germans will be able to enter their neighbouring country even more quickly. Penetration rates are very high – Gebr Heinemann said that every second person crossing the Czech-German border buys something in a Travel Free Shop.
ABOUT THE GEBR HEINEMANN/UNIMEX JOINT VENTURE
Travel Free s.r.o. operates Travel Free Shops at the German-Czech border crossings of Selb-AÅ¡, Sohland-Å luknov Rožany, Schmilka-Hřensko, Waidhaus-Rozvadov and Furth im Wald-Folmava, as well as at the Austrian-Czech crossings at Weigetschlag-Studánky, Wullowitz-Dolní DvořiÅ¡tě and Drasenhofen-Mikulov.
Founded in 1991, the Unimex Group is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic. It acts as a wholesaler and retailer for international brands and the DIY market. It is also active in the property market, in project development for industry and hotels, and in the tourism industry.
Before the foundation of the joint venture, Gebr Heinemann was an exclusive supplier to Unimex’s border shops.
Gebr Heinemann, owned and managed by the Heinemann family since 1879, is one of the biggest players in the travel retail industry. As a wholesaler it supplies over 1,000 customers in 70 countries, mainly consisting of shops at airports, and outlets on ferries and cruise ships.
In retail Gebr Heinemann is active at a total of 31 international airports, at which it operates 180 Travel Value & Duty Free Shops, in addition to 40 franchised brand boutiques and its own specialist shops.
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