Retail / news
Mondelez travel retail chief says confectionery's 8% purchase rate is a relevance gap, not a demand gap
Mondelez World Travel Retail's Joost Rosmuller argues that with 91% of consumers snacking daily but only 8% buying confectionery in duty free, the industry's challenge is engagement rather than appetite. He points to a projected duty-free market of US$87 billion by 2031 as room to grow.
Speaking in a guest article, Mondelez World Travel Retail Vice President and Managing Director Joost Rosmuller framed the gap between everyday snacking habits and airport purchasing as a missed connection rather than a lack of consumer interest. The figures he cited are stark: 91% of consumers snack every day, while just 8% buy confectionery in travel retail.
Rosmuller took the argument to the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, where he co-hosted a breakfast discussion with Diageo Global Travel Managing Director Andrew Cowan. Heathrow's Head of Category for Duty Free Luxury and High Street, Nancy Stewart, moderated the session, which drew more than 30 industry leaders.
The appeal, he suggested, lies in giving travellers a stronger reason to engage across categories rather than treating each product segment in isolation. That means brands, retailers and airports working differently together to reach more shoppers and create value beyond individual categories.
The wider market backdrop he presented is upbeat. IATA forecasts 5.2 billion air passengers in 2026, with demand expected to double by 2050. The global duty-free market is projected to expand from US$76 billion to US$87 billion by 2031.
Confectionery already accounts for a US$4.1 billion slice of that market and is growing at 8% annually, according to the figures cited. Rosmuller's conclusion is that the growth the industry is chasing already exists within traveller footfall, provided the offer is made relevant enough to convert it.