Heathrow’s Shift To Blended Retail Is A Big Win For Relay And WH Smith
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The French Relay brand (shown here at Lisbon Airport) is coming to the U.K. for the first time. … More (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) Corbis via Getty Images So-called ‘blended retail’ is coming to London Heathrow Airport following a review of the airport’s convenience/travel essentials retail offering to passengers. As a result, new concepts from France’s Relay brand, owned by Lagardère Travel Retail (LTR), and from existing partner, WH Smith, will be launching soon. The Relay fascia is debuting belatedly in the U.K., having already spread to many airports in Europe and the United States, with the latter market being served via LTR’s subsidiary, Paradies Lagardère. In total, the brand is present in approximately 300 airports worldwide, with the most recent launch at Türkiye’s Antalya Airport. The new deal with the two retailers will lead to the implementation of blended stores appearing across all of Heathrow’s four terminals (T2, T3, T4, and T5). From summer 2026, Relay will launch its offer in Terminal 2—The Queen’s Terminal, where four stores will have a total footprint of more than 14,6000 square feet. In the upper-level departures area, a 4,500-square-foot unit will have a pharmacy alongside a mix of travel essentials. The largest of the lower-level shops (at 5,300 square feet) in the main retail thoroughfare, will offer books, souvenirs, toys, and to-go food and drink. LTR will also operate a satellite ‘Discover’ souvenir concept store and a landside Relay shop in the check-in hall. The CEO of LTR UK & Ireland, Peter Newbould, said he was hopeful the new contract would open doors: “By making Relay a success at Heathrow, we will open up further opportunities to develop our three business lines across the U.K. market.” LTR’s new joint-CEO, Frédéric Chevalier, has described Heathrow as “renowned for its progressive…
Filed under: News - @ July 19, 2025 8:21 pm