In an effort to create a new single UK retail business, World Duty Free and Alpha Retail will now be known as WDF, although store fascias owned by the parent company relating to both will

still continue to trade, including World Duty Free, Biza and others.

WDF derives from one of Autogrill's core travel retail businesses, World Duty Free, and has beenabbreviated to WDF as a way of distinguishing the parent company from the stores.

The new WDF corporate logo is also intentionally different from the World Duty Free logo which appearson the company's store fascias and WDF says that this is quite deliberate, since it is aimed at a different audience from its customers.

In a general communication, WDF Ceo Mark Riches said: ‘The new company name will be used when we communicate with our business partners, be they suppliers or airport landlords. It will be the name and logo that appears on stationery, on our business cards and email signatures. The new corporate name and logo will not appear on any of our store fascias.’

Having said this, Riches added that it was important to reassure all of WDF's business partners that whilst World Duty Free and Alpha Retail are coming together under the WDF name, the parent company remains committed to the portfolio of stores and individual names which trade in UK airports.

Riches concluded that this year's chosen charity at WDF is the One Foundation, with profits generated by the sale of bottled mineral water used by One to build play-pumps in developing countries, providing villages with fresh, clean water.

He said that in line with WDF's ongoing relationship with the One Foundation, WDF will explore marking the occasion of the formation of our new business with a suitable contribution to the fantastic work that One do in the developing world.