Sydney Airport to transform international duty free shopping
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Sydney Airport and Heinemann have agreed on a joint initiative to transform the international duty free shopping experience at the gateway.
Popular beauty retailer MECCA and Victoria’s Secret will expand into Australian duty-free for the first time as part of the revamp.
The initiative will include a complete redevelopment of the wines and spirits, tobacco and confectionery zone, an overhaul of the entire beauty offer, a significant expansion of the Heinemann-operated Hermes boutique and the refurbishment of arrivals and gate shops.
One of the most momentous new milestones is the entry of MECCA into duty-free trade for the first time.
Founded in 1997, MECCA is the leading prestige beauty retailer in the country, captivating over four million customers every year with an exclusive curation of over 200 of the best beauty brands in the world.
The standalone MECCA store in Heinemann’s new beauty zone will join a network of over 110 stores across Australia and New Zealand.
Once the transformation is completed in mid-2027, both the airport and Heinemann hope that the duty-free shopping experience will be more compelling and resonant with Sydney Airport’s core passenger demographics of the future.
“This project is born out of Heinemann and Sydney Airport’s shared recognition that something needs to change in our industry,” notes Heinemann Asia Pacific CEO, Johannes Sammann.
“It takes a lot of trust and deep partnership in order to have had the open discussions we have been having over most of 2025, but the end result will be a more elevated passenger experience, a more appealing retail offer, and a more commercially robust business in Sydney Airport.”
While Mark Zaouk, group executive for commercial at Sydney Airport, said: “The addition of MECCA further strengthens our premium retail offering, giving passengers access to an exceptional range of beauty products and leading luxury brands before they depart.
“It’s another example of our commitment to delivering a world-class airport experience that showcases the very best of Australian retail.”
