INTERNATIONAL. Duty Free Americas has added its support to the Duty Free World Council (DFWC) and Tax Free World Association (TFWA) anti-illicit trade declaration. The company is the eighth leading travel retailer to sign it.
With over 200 stores in airports and border crossings throughout the Americas, the addition of Duty Free Americas to the declaration is said to mark “a major extension of the duty and tax free industry’s public commitment to combat illicit trade, counterfeiting and intellectual property theft”.
As reported, DFWC and TFWA launched the anti-illicit trade declaration – which has also been signed by leading travel retailers ARI, Dubai Duty Free, Dufry, Gebr. Heinemann, Lagardère Travel Retail, Qatar Duty Free and DFS – in July 2023.
By signing the declaration, signatories commit to a zero-tolerance approach to illicit trade within their own organisation.
DFWC President Sarah Branquinho said: “The DFWC/TFWA anti-illicit trade declaration continues to grow in strength, and I am very pleased to welcome Duty Free Americas as the most recent signatory to this important initiative.
“Our industry boasts one of the most transparent, trusted and secure supply chains in the world, and this campaign sends a clear message to our millions of customers around the world that they can shop in duty and tax free stores confident that the products they are purchasing are authentic and genuine.
“Signatories to this declaration are making a firm public commitment to never permit any form of illicit trade, counterfeiting or intellectual property theft, and to hold their commercial partners to that same standard. We welcome the support of any travel retail operator or supplier that wishes to be a part of the declaration, and we continue to encourage members of our industry to join us.”
The declaration has been created as the next step in the ‘Duty Free: Trusted, Transparent, Secure’ campaign, which was jointly launched by DFWC and TFWA in June 2022.
The anti-illicit trade declaration is for all organisations retailing or supplying duty- and tax-free goods. For more information, email cameron.gray@pentagroup.co. 
