Heathrow Sets New Standard in Airport Retail with Comprehensive Overhaul to Deliver Unrivaled Convenience and Premium Essentials for Every Traveler

Published on July 16, 2025

London Heathrow airport will turn the airport shopping concept on its head with a revolutionary new retail strategy that delivers an unbeatable level of convenience and quality travel essentials for passengers throughout the airport. With some of the most iconic products and product categories like news, books, health, and beauty all in one place, the airport is the perfect destination for the time-strapped visitor looking for efficiency that doesn’t trade off with quality. In collaboration with Lagardère Travel Retail and WHSmith, Heathrow is committed to providing a new, refined shopping environment and experience that’s more relevant, personalized, and connected, allowing passengers to shop the most essential puzzling items to keep them entertained before their flight.

Heathrow overhauls travel essentials shopping to offer passengers more choice and new luxury brands

Heathrow Airport has announced the findings of the latest review of its retail proposition based on improving the passenger shopping experience. It updated that it had awarded new contracts to Lagardère Travel Retail and WHSmith to modernise and improve the accessibility of core travel goods at the airport. The move is in response to more than 50,000 customers asking us to make shopping at the airport more convenient and speedier.

The objective is to streamline the whole travel experience by providing essential product categories such as newspapers, books, health and beauty solutions all in one place, providing passengers with easy access to their required essentials whilst saving the precious time.

Lagardère Travel Retail Lands at Heathrow for the First Time

Lagardère Travel Retail has won the contract to run a “Blended Travel Essentials” concession at Terminal 2 as part of Heathrow’s new approach. The deal will be effective in summer 2026 and signals the arrival of Lagardère’s international acclaimed RELAY brand to the UK. Operating in more than 300 airports around the world, RELAY is known for offering a large range of travel confectionery and essentials and is a natural fit for Heathrow’s emphasis on convenience and quality.

The total of 1,360 square meters in the new RELAY stores at Terminal 2 will consist of several spaces designed to meet the needs of travelers. The upstairs store will offer a pharmacy in addition to RELAY’s wide selection of travel essentials, while the downstairs store will have books, souvenirs, toys and food-to-go. A satellite store will also feature Lagardère Travel Retail’s much-loved Discover souvenir concept. A new RELAY store will also be located in the landside check-in hall, allowing passengers the opportunity to shop before and after security.

WHSmith Expands Across Heathrow Terminals

Longtime airport retailer WHSmith has claimed a prominent role in the revamped retail scene at Heathrow. The British company will operate travel essentials stores in Terminals 3 and 4 and continue to widen its presence in Terminal 5. Under this high profile partnership, WHSmith becomes the key airside health and beauty retailer within Terminals 3 and 4. The airline will also launch a pharmacy service in Terminals 3, 4 and 5 to add to its range of facilities for customers.

In addition to the branches in Hangzhou Airport, WHSmith will operate three flagship global travel retail stores in Terminals 3, 4 and 5. These stores will be developed in WHSmith’s new convenience-led one-stop-shop format which is designed to offer the customer a broad range of quality products with the latest on the go offering including WH Smith’s new own brand food range Smith’s Family Kitchen, coffee and bakery, and a selection of health and beauty lines from major global brands. These stores are designed to offer travelers everything they need in one location, making their airport experience more efficient and convenient.

24/7 Shopping for Travelers Who Are Short on Time

Heathrow decided to work with Lagardère Travel Retail and WHSmith as part of its continued pledge to improve passenger services through a range of travel goods. Feedback from tens of thousands of travellers indicated that there is a significant demand for a one-stop shopping experience that offers staple items such as reading material, personal care products and food.

And it’s Heathrow’s new “Blended Essentials” proposition that aims to fulfill these needs, enabling passengers to get access to all that they need before they fly, in the quickest amount of time. Working with some of the best names in retail sends yet another signal that we are working to deliver premium solutions that save travelers time at the airport.

By bringing together Lagardère Travel Retail’s RELAY stores and the brand-new global flagship locations of WHSmith we are cementing Heathrow’s position as a leader in both retail innovation and addressing passengers’ needs for convenience and quality in their shopping experience.

The Future of Heathrow’s Retail Landscap

Heathrow Airport is transforming its retail offer with the launch of a new strategy that will give passengers easy access to an extensive range of ‘premium products’ in each terminal. This new look, powered by partnerships with Lagardère Travel Retail and WHSmith, simplifies the shopping process for every passenger, which, in turn, also cuts down time spent in the store.

Key Highlights:

RELAY by Lagardère Travel Retail will open in Terminal 2, the brand’s first location in UK.

Three global flagship stores at three new units within T3, 4 and 5 will add to WHSmith’s presence.

Under a new “Blended Essentials” approach, critical product categories will be co-located in each and every terminal, providing passengers everything they need in one stop.

WHSmith is to be the lead health and beauty retailer in Terminals 3 and 4 and operate a pharmacy service.

These improvements follow feedback from Passengers and concentrate on convenience and time efficiency.