Images of the Day: Duty-free liquor shines on both sides of the English Channel/La Manche

Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Duty Free Global from Ireland, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.

UK/FRANCE. Our image selection today comes from the LeShuttle terminals, with an exploration of the liquor sections at Avolta’s World Duty Free in Folkestone and Ospree Duty Free’s Le Marché Duty Free in Coquelles, writes Senior Business Editor Mark Lane.

Passing through on a summer holiday to France, I was impressed by the ease of the LeShuttle travel experience – and particularly by how accessible duty-free shopping is for motorists.

Value messaging is prominent throughout World Duty Free Folkestone. Large-format signage and price tickets make the promotional mechanics immediately understandable. (Below) An eye-catching promotion for Dead Man’s Fingers rum and Whitley Neill gin.

With ample free parking close to the terminal buildings, there is a great opportunity to browse and purchase before returning to the car for the 35-minute Channel crossing, while generous personal duty-free allowances in both directions add to the appeal of the offer.

For spirits & wine shoppers, there is plenty to explore on both sides.

World Duty Free at Folkestone combines an extensive selection with highly visible value messaging, multibuys, case deals and colourful brand activations.

Le Marché Duty Free Coquelles presents its liquor department beneath prominent illuminated signage that draws attention to an impressively expansive spirits & wine offer. A high-profile activation for Château Peyrassol in the store appears in the image below.

During my visit, a striking Dead Man’s Fingers rum and Whitley Neill gin activation provided one of the focal points.

At Coquelles, Le Marché Duty Free offers another substantial liquor department (recently refreshed, as you can read in our recent on-location story here), with wine particularly prominent.

A nicely executed Château Peyrassol activation brought a flavour of Provence to the terminal through rosé displays, vines, barrels and digital imagery.

I passed through the terminals at around 7.30am and, despite the early hour, both stores were doing a brisk trade. The images shared below offer a closer look at the ranges, promotions and activations on each side of the English Channel/La Manche.

World Duty Free, Folkestone

Strong duty-free and Club Avolta messaging begins before customers enter World Duty Free at Folkestone. A prominent sign advertises liquor savings of up to -50% versus UK high street prices while also setting out the generous alcohol allowances for passengers entering the EU.

A bright Aperol Spritz unit brings another summery focal point to the Folkestone store. Positioned within the main liquor area, the illuminated orange display stands out strongly amid the surrounding fixtures.
World Duty Free also makes substantial use of the space available to promote beer cases. Estrella Damm, Carling, Foster’s and Stella Artois were among the brands presented in large-volume displays – an approach particularly suited to customers returning directly to their cars.
One of the most eye-catching activations at Folkestone brings together Dead Man’s Fingers rum and Whitley Neill gin. Strong red and purple graphics and deal messaging frame a dedicated promotional counter showcasing flavoured rum and gin variants.

The breadth of the Folkestone liquor assortment is clear here, with dedicated sections for American, Irish, blended and malt whiskies alongside Cognac and brandy, while Champagne, wine and beer occupy further fixtures

Twin packs form another part of the value proposition, with signage reinforcing the emphasis on formats designed for travel retail
Travelling by car lends itself particularly well to larger purchases, something reflected in World Duty Free’s prominent wine case deals. Brands including Yellow Tail, 19 Crimes, Villa Maria and Jam Shed are presented in substantial floor stacks.

Le Marché Duty Free, Coquelles

The Coquelles store combines extensive category fixtures with secondary promotional displays. Clear category navigation and the open layout make the large liquor assortment easy to explore.
Château Peyrassol is currently occupying substantial space at Le Marché Duty Free, with its bottles of Provence rosé displayed across a bespoke red structure decorated with living vines. The use of natural materials and vineyard imagery helps give the activation a strong sense of place.

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