Duty Free World Council President Sarah Branquinho speaks at MEADFA annual conference

Duty Free World Council President Sarah Branquinho has spoken at the 2022 Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) annual conference on behalf of the Duty Free: Trusted, Transparent, Secure campaign.

During the final session of day one, Branquinho discussed the impact of illicit trade and counterfeiting on our duty and tax free industry, and the reputational harm caused by criminal activity.

“Illicit trade, counterfeiting and intellectual property theft are global challenges requiring a global commitment. Too often, fake goods sold in the domestic market are fraudulently labelled as “duty free” in order to mask their illicit origins. Our industry suffers from economic harm through lost sales opportunities, and reputational damage from having our name co-opted by this criminal activity.

“The duty free and travel retail industry takes a zero tolerance approach to any form of criminality, and wants to work hand in hand with customs and enforcement agencies to stamp out criminal activity wherever it occurs.”

Held at The Art Hotel & Resort in Bahrain from 27-29 November, the MEADFA Conference featured prominent industry leaders and thought-provoking debates and discussions, with an emphasis on Africa.