Original research for the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has uncovered important passenger insights on security, shopping regulations and F&B consumption.

 

APTRA says new research has provided useful data on just how informed passengers really are about the current retail environment.

 

For example, with effect from 31 January 2014, duty free purchases of liquids can be carried in hand luggage provided the item and receipt are kept in the sealed security bag provided at the time of purchase. So asked about their awareness of the restrictions on the quantity of liquids that they may carry in their hand baggage, 79% of travellers said they felt ‘very’ or ‘quite well informed’.

 

A third of travellers stated that they have routinely got into the habit now of buying more non-alcoholic drinks on the airside to consume at the airport or in the plane, because they know they are not allowed to bring drinks through security.

 

The research also reveals the percentage of travellers asked who believe that the security measures don’t affect their purchasing behaviour, as well as those who no longer buy alcoholic drinks, perfume or and other liquids in duty free shops because of the security regulations – with the majority citing transit flights as the reason.

 

IMPRESSIVE RESEARCH SAMPLE

This new research was commissioned from independent analysts m1nd-set for APTRA members in July, at airports across the Asia Pacific region, involving more than 2,200 travellers from China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Hong Kong. All respondents submitted online surveys after taking international flights.

 

APTRA says the study revealed a worrying lack of information about airlines’ hand baggage policies, including the controversial ‘one bag rule’, with only 8% of respondents saying that they felt they were very well informed about the allowances and 39% ‘quite well informed’.

 

As a result, the research concludes that 43% of travellers refrain from purchasing in duty free shops. This is either because they fear they are not allowed to carry shopping onboard in addition to their hand baggage, or they are concerned that purchases will not fit in their cabin bag.

 

Having said that, there was much better news on the awareness of duty free liquor and tobacco allowances in both their home countries and destination countries of travel amongst 60% of the travellers responding to the survey. But as APTRA notes, half of the passengers admitted that concerns on potential confiscation of goods at customs deterred them from purchasing at all.

 

 

ANYONE GETTING THAT FEELING OF DEJA VU..?

Interestingly, some 51% of those travellers surveyed confirmed that they would purchase more L&T in duty free stores if they thought customs would allow it, with 22% saying they would ‘definitely buy more’ and 29% saying they would ‘think about it’.

 

Jaya Singh, President of APTRA (see below) said: “This new research from APTRA and m1nd-set demonstrates the importance of improving the information provided to passengers about the regulations concerning the carriage of liquids inflight, about allowances for tobacco and alcohol and about the airlines’ hand baggage rules.

 

“The study shows definitively that the less informed travellers are about rules and regulations, the more likely they are to refrain from purchasing in duty free.”

 

The APTRA m1nd-set ‘Impact of Security & Regulations on Asia Pacific TR Shopping and F&B Consumption’ report is the latest in a series of studies conducted on behalf of members. Previous reports include the Gifting Report, the Fashion & Luxury Report and the Eyewear Report. APTRA can be found at the following: www.aptra.asia or by contacting [email protected]

 

THE EDITOR WRITES: For some time now I have been really impressed with the way that APTRA goes about its business in a very methodical, serious, research-led and inclusive fashion. This latest study is yet another useful piece of research that should be noted by retailers, airports and even ACI Asia Pacific as a positive sign that more education is needed to reassure and inform passengers of their entitlements. Once again, potential sales that consumers clearly want to make are being lost through ignorance – just as happened in Europe in the early years of ‘LAGs’.