“The spirit of Scotland” – Avolta and Edinburgh Airport officially open refurbished World Duty Free store

UK. Following the completion of a full refurbishment, Avolta and Edinburgh Airport have officially launched the newly expanded World Duty Free store at Scotland’s busiest airport.

As reported, Avolta extended its duty-free contract at Edinburgh Airport in March. As part of that renewal, the retail space was expanded by +30%, reaching 1,740sq m, with several new features and digital enhancements.

The Moodie Davitt Report was on location yesterday (24 September) for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which also featured a store walkthrough with top executives from Avolta and Edinburgh Airport.

These included Avolta UK & Ireland CEO Fred Creighton; Edinburgh Airport Chief Commercial Officer (Non Aero) Gail Taylor; Avolta/World Duty Free Retail Director UK Peter Cunningham; Avolta/World Duty Free Terminal Manager Michael Bryant; and Avolta/World Duty Free UK Commercial Director Eve Fifer, among others.

During the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Avolta UK & Ireland CEO Fred Creighton commented: “We are extremely proud of the valued and longstanding partnership we have with the Edinburgh airport team and are delighted to join them to officially open this exceptional new store.

“It conveys such a strong sense of place and really reflects the great spirit of Scotland. But more than that – it delivers an engaging, immersive and memorable in-store experience to our valued customers.

“At Avolta, we are committed to making travellers happier and we’re confident that this exciting new store space will do just that.”

Edinburgh Airport Chief Commercial Officer (Non Aero) Gail Taylor added: “We are thrilled with this refurbishment to our World Duty Free store with Avolta. It provides an enhanced and contemporary entrance to our departure lounge as we strive to provide the best experience for passengers.

“By delivering an increased footprint, and introducing a host of fantastic new brands, there will now be more choice than ever before. The focus on Scottish produce is also something we’re passionate about, allowing people to experience the very best our country has to offer and take a little piece of Scotland away with them.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Avolta, delivering even more fantastic experiences for our passengers in the years to come.”

The revamped store features an impactful digital fascia at the entrance and a significant World of Whiskies section, a crucial category for Scotland’s leading airport.

Personalised experiences have been introduced for major whisky brands, along with shop-in-shop formats for Glenmorangie and Johnnie Walker, inviting customers to explore full collections and participate in whisky tastings.

Additional services include bottle engraving by Glenmorangie and leather luggage tag personalisation by Johnnie Walker, adding bespoke touches to each purchase.

At the Glenmorangie shop-in-shop travellers can try the ‘Wonder Machine’, a whisky profiling tool that uses sight, smell and sound to deliver bespoke whisky recommendations.

The Johnnie Walker brand experience zone takes travellers on an immersive journey through Scotland and its different distilleries via an interactive screen. The space also offers the travel retail-exclusive Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire.

At the entrance to the World Duty Free store is the Destination Bar, including a rotating roster of Scotch whisky brands. The space features a wrap digital screen that can easily be adapted with different brand visuals. It is currently showcasing single malt Scotch whisky house Kilchoman.

Another striking addition is the 20sq m Edinburgh Gin boutique, inspired by the design elements of the brand’s new distillery and visitor centre in central Edinburgh.

The boutique offers an immersive tasting experience, with exclusive Edinburgh Gin expressions, including The Meadows, created for Edinburgh Airport.

Elsewhere in the store a section showcasing rare and limited-edition whiskies highlights the whisky-making heritage and craftsmanship of Scotland.

Some of the rare expressions featured include the Bowmore 33 Year Old 1988 Vintage, The Macallan M Decanter 2020 Release, Highland Park 40 Year Old and a Rosebank 32 Year Old travel retail-exclusive expression.

The beauty area has also been expanded, introducing brands such as Charlotte Tilbury and Kylie Cosmetics, alongside the established names of Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Lancôme.

A dedicated fragrance discovery section features personalised wall bays from fragrance houses such as Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Hermès.

The area also incorporates digital technologies, including augmented-reality tools for virtual makeup try-ons.

Additionally, a wellness area has been added to meet consumer demand for ethically sourced, organic and natural products, with a focus on environmentally friendly packaging.

Brands highlighted in this section include Elemis, Sol de Janeiro, Biotherm and L’OCCITANE and Provence among others.

In the luxury section, dedicated spaces for watches, jewellery, sunglasses and accessories have been enlarged, offering personalisation for key brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley.

Scottish-themed souvenirs and confectionery, including brands such as Walker’s shortbread, Tunnock’s Tea Cakes and Mrs Tilly’s Tablet, are featured, along with premium items adorned with designs by local artist Gillian Kyle.

Notably, an interactive section for Walker’s Shortbread gives travellers a chance to win a free biscuit finger by participating in a short quiz.

The customer journey concludes with the discovery of a standalone Haute Parfumerie, a 57sq m premium fragrance concept store introduced to meet the growing demand for niche luxury fragrances.

Featuring high-end brands such as Penhaligon’s, Creed and Le Labo, the boutique combines luxurious design, engaging technologies and knowledgeable staff to create a personalised fragrance discovery experience.

The refurbishment of the World Duty Free store at Edinburgh Airport reflects Avolta’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience, offering a wider selection of products and creating immersive, memorable shopping experiences for travellers.

Edinburgh Airport serves almost 15 million passengers per year (2019 figures), with strong connections to the rest of the UK and overseas. ✈

{Watch the YouTube video above for exclusive video footage of the store walkthrough filmed by The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan and edited by Head of Digital Delivery Declan Moodie}