[ 110 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE P&O Ferries’ first newbuilds to enter service after Brexit, the Fusion-class boasts no less than 588m² of duty-free retail space, supplemented by strategically located booths that capitalise on impulse buying. Taking up the entire Dover-end of Deck 8, the duty-free shop offers an airport-style walkthrough experience, complete with a meandering walkway that connects the starboard with the portside entrance/exit. When the Darwin-class pair was introduced in 2003, followed by the Spirit-class in 2011–12, the UK was still part of the EU single market. All change on the last day of January 2020 when Brexit became effective. Also, intra-EU duty-free sales were abolished in the summer of 1999, seeing revenues from onboard sales plummet overnight as duty-paid retail shops became the new normal. But just like in airports, the ‘holiday vibes’ are never far away when on a ferry, prompting passengers to spend money regardless of the shop’s status as either dutyfree or duty-paid. In the wake of the abolition of duty-free sales and as people generally started to live healthier lives around the turn of the new millennium, the business of traditional duty-free items such as tobacco, spirits, beers and wines was reviewed, with P&O Ferries focusing on articles with a much higher profit margin such as beauty products, leatherware, sunglasses and travel accessories. An integral part of P&O Ferries’ strategic vision to deliver its Ships of the Future and offer an unrivalled onboard experience, the Doverheadquartered ferry operator outsourced its retail operation ahead of Brexit. In November 2018, the company signed a long-term concession contract with Swiss-based Dufry Group to operate 19 onboard shops under the World Duty Free brand, the UK’s leading travel retailer. Equivalent to 3,600m² of retail space, the transfer of operations was phased from April to May 2019 with Dufry undertaking a full rebrand of the stores in close cooperation with P&O Ferries. The Dover–Calais ferry Pride of Burgundy was the first vessel in the P&O Ferries fleet to have its store fully refurbished in June 2019. With a wide selection of international and local brands across the main categories including beauty, liquor, food and confectionery, tobacco, fashion and accessories such as sunglasses, toys, souvenirs and travel essentials, Pride of Burgundy’s 280m² walkthrough store offered P&O Ferries’ passengers a retail experience in line with what they expected at an airport. SHOPPING PARADISE The Fusion-class represents P&O Ferries’ first ships to be designed and introduced after Brexit. With the Ship of the Future project kicking off about one year after the Brexit “ Reflecting the new post-Brexit situation, the World Duty Free store onboard P&O Pioneer takes up the entire Dover-end of Deck 8. With 588m² of retail space, the Ship of the Future’s duty-free store is the largest in the P&O Ferries fleet”
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