Alcohol Retailing

Through the DFWC Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct, ETRC is fully committed to promote the responsible retailing of alcohol in the duty free and travel retail channel.

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Alcohol: ensuring the responsible retailing of alcohol

ETRC is carefully monitoring the development of policies relating to the retailing of alcohol products in the duty free and travel retail channel.

Policies that fail to take into account the specificities of the duty free and travel retail channel could have a damaging effect on sales such as the introduction of restricted sales hours, minimum pricing, and labelling schemes.

Our industry is one of the primary vehicles for showcasing Europe’s rich heritage in the production of wines and spirits to an international customer base, with an extraordinary range of premium brands available. A channel characterised by quality, rather than quantity, ETRC believes its profile is consistent with responsible consumption by adults.

In recent years, there has been a growing tendency at global and especially at European level towards more regulation of the alcohol industry including reducing the availability and marketing of alcohol, or the introduction of warning labels.

 DFWC Alcohol Code of Conduct

In response to these challenges, ETRC launched in 2012 a Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct for the Sales of Alcohol Products in Duty-Free and Travel Retail, which promoted the responsible retailing of alcohol products in our retail channel. The Code of Conduct, which enjoyed widespread support from ETRC members, and the members of ETRC’s national affiliates, was intended to work alongside all existing codes or guidelines already in existence by individual alcohol manufacturing companies and other bodies.

Late 2017, ETRC decided to move to the adoption of the Duty Free World Council Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct for the Sale of Alcohol Products in Duty Free & Travel Retail, therefore providing a unique standard for the promotion of responsible retailing of alcohol products in the duty free and travel retail channel which will be implemented across the globe.

Early 2018, all Corporate members of ETRC confirmed the adoption and implementation of the DFWC Code of Conduct in their operations as the new simplified standard for our industry.

The DFWC Code of Conduct can be downloaded in the Documents section on this page. For any questions on the Code of Conduct, please contact us.

DFWC Responsible Training Programme

In July 2019, the Duty Free World Council launched an online training programme to promote the responsible retailing and marketing of alcohol across the Duty Free and Travel Retail channel, available free of charge to members of ETRC.

Available in English, French and Spanish, this interactive module-based training programme is designed to reinforce regulations and best practice on the sale of alcoholic drinks in Duty Free. We encourage representatives of all relevant stakeholders; brands, retailers, commercial teams, communications and promotional agencies, to ensure their associates participate in this training programme.