The European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) is set to launch a new sustainability report to help its members stay up to date on the latest regulatory changes that may impact their business in the channel.

The association’s Secretary General Julie Lassaigne told TRBusiness that the specially commissioned report, titled Mapping and Impact Analysis of EU Sustainability Regulation, will be presented on 19 September during a webinar hosted by ETRC exclusively for its membership.

“Our sector will be facing, in the coming years, great demands in terms of environmental and sustainability requirements in Europe,” said Lassaigne.

“To this end, ETRC has commissioned a report to monitor the development of EU legislation and initiatives that have the potential to impact the duty free and travel retail industry.

“This report will be launched just before Cannes and made available to our members to support them in their understanding and implementation of regulatory changes.”

Facilitating a better understanding of the legislative landscape

The comprehensive review aims to serve as a comprehensive guide that will equip stakeholders with the knowledge they need to better understand the evolving EU sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility legislative landscape.

“The report maps EU legislation across key pillars including the green transition and circular economy-related initiatives, waste and packaging, corporate reporting and sustainable finance, carbon reduction, transport, energy and other legislation,” said Lassaigne.

“It further intends to assess both direct and indirect impacts of various legislation according to their expected consequences on the varied nature of ETRC extended membership including retailers, suppliers, ports and airports.”

Striving for a more sustainable travel retail industry

From operations and supply chain management to product development and customer engagement, sustainability has long been a key consideration in travel retail.

It’s a topic that TRBusiness is proud to provide a dedicated platform for discussion on, as evidenced by TR Sustainability Week (4-8 September 2023) and its roster or year-round editorial initiatives.

“Taking into account the three pillars of sustainability policies; environmental, social and governance; ETRC is fully committed to supporting members and the wider industry in their efforts towards a more sustainable travel retail industry,” said Lassaigne.

In February 2022, ETRC endorsed the ‘Toulouse Declaration on future sustainability and decarbonisation of aviation’, supporting the decarbonisation of aviation by 2050.

You can hear more from Julie Lassaigne in an exclusive interview in the TRBusiness October 2023 issue, which will be available in print to TFWA World Exhibition & Conference delegates, as well as in e-zine format.

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