Gebr. Heinemann opens ÍSLAND Duty Free
With ÍSLAND Duty Free, we are opening a new chapter for travel retail at Keflavík Airport. We are grateful for Isavia’s trust and proud to bring our international Travel Retail expertise to Iceland with deep respect for the country, its people and its brands.
Max HeinemannCo-CEO of Gebr. Heinemann
The result is a shopping experience designed specifically for Iceland rather than a generic international airport concept. Inspired by the country’s landscapes, from geothermal lagoons and flowing water to lava fields and newly formed terrain, the shops combine intuitive orientation, modern services, digital tools and a strong sense of place.
Three shops with a clear customer journey
Gebr. Heinemann operates three retail spaces at Keflavík Airport: a departure shop of approximately 1,600 m², an arrival shop of approximately 2,000 m² and a gate shop. Across the locations, the offer covers the core duty-free categories of tobacco, confectionery, beauty, spirits, fashion, accessories, gifting and convenience products.
In departures, an open shopfront and multi-directional access support easy orientation through the main categories. At the heart of the store, a dedicated regional area developed together with Icelandic firm Basalt Architects, one of Iceland’s most renowned design studios, showcases Icelandic products in a setting rooted in local identity. The design includes a milky blue floor reminiscent of the Blue Lagoon, a ceiling installation evoking geothermal steam, distinctive materials and 3D-printed sculptural elements.
The arrivals shop is designed for speed, clarity and convenience, with strong allowance communication, generous routes towards baggage claim and a broad assortment led by liquor alongside beauty, confectionery, tobacco, gifting accessories and travel essentials. A regional fixture welcomes arriving travelers with local products, while a selfie point by Icelandic mural and street artist Juan Arctic reinforces the sense of arrival in Iceland.
Across the shops, self-checkout options, digital shelf labels, Click & Collect, Reserve & Collect, webshop integration, a loyalty programme, interactive product discovery tools and digital price and quota guidance support a seamless shopping experience. Depending on the season and peak times, between 120 and 160 employees work across the shop floor, logistics, and back-office functions.
Local brands with visibility, international brands with relevance
At least 30 percent of the brands offered across the stores are Icelandic, and more than 370 m² of retail space is dedicated to Icelandic products, regional storytelling and local brand experiences. Four fully personalized Icelandic brand environments give local producers dedicated space to present their stories, connect with international travelers and strengthen the visibility of Icelandic innovation, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.
At the same time, ÍSLAND Duty Free brings leading international brands to Iceland and introduces selected international names to the Icelandic market. The ambition is not to replace local brands, but to create a balanced offer: globally relevant for travelers, commercially compelling for the airport and visibly rooted in Iceland.
Our focus was to create an offer that is both clearly rooted in Iceland and relevant for international travelers. The result is a balanced retail concept that gives Icelandic producers strong visibility while adding selected global brands and services.
Jens WolfDirector Sales Nordics at Gebr. Heinemann
Sustainability by design
Sustainability was integrated into the concept from the beginning. The regional fixtures are produced using 3D robotics from Nagami and made from recycled plastic, partly from the ocean. The stores also use recycled materials such as Omexco MINERALS wall coverings made from recycled paper and fine mica. Energy-efficient LED lighting, digital shelf labels, the elimination of single-use plastic bags and a Dopper water station offering free refills with fresh tap water in cooperation with Isavia support more circular day-to-day operations.
At Keflavík Airport we connect the world through Iceland, and the experience we offer here matters. A strong duty-free offering plays an important role in the airport's competitiveness. With Heinemann’s industry knowledge and expertise, we look forward to further enhancing the customer journey for travelers while creating value for Icelandic brands and the country as a whole.
Sveinbjörn IndriðasonCEO of Isavia
