Luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason has resumed delivery to customers in the European Union (EU) for the first time since the service was stopped due to post-Brexit customs challenges. The brand has launched a dedicated EU website, offering customers an array of food, drinks and luxury products.

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Fortnum & Mason will be delivering to 15 countries from a dedicated fulfilment centre in Belgium. The move is part of the brand’s ongoing strategy to meet international demand for the brand, with plans to open a store in Dubai International Airport (DBX) in the coming months, and a US distribution centre in 2024.

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Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum & Mason, said: “Fortnum & Mason is a brand that is loved the world-over, and so I am delighted to be launching our new EU website, to allow customers across Europe to shop with us once again. Outstanding customer service is vitally important to us at Fortnum’s, and our new EU based fulfilment centre will allow us to navigate the post-Brexit export challenges to provide a robust delivery service to our customers in the EU.”

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The site will launch with a curated edit of Fortnum’s most loved products, including The Taste of Fortnum’s Hamper, its Magnificent Spode Christmas Pudding, as well as the Toffolossus Biscuits, with a view to expand the range ahead of Christmas 2023. The brand will also offer its UK customers the opportunity to ship to friends abroad, which historically accounted for nearly half of all EU deliveries; pre-Brexit, EU deliveries represented over 15% of all online sales.

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According to a report by RetailX, luxury brands are increasingly embracing ecommerce, and looking at how to take the leap into not necessarily owning the customer themselves. The report, titled ‘RetailX Europe Luxury 2023’, explores how consumers are increasingly shopping for everything they want on marketplace sites – from Amazon through to specialised luxury marketplaces such as FarFetch and Secret Sales.

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Commenting on the launch of the new EU website, Athron said: “We are excited by the opportunities that our new EU website brings, as our online business continues to grow, both at home and internationally. This has been an ambitious project, and I am thrilled that after 317 years, Fortnum & Mason are still delivering firsts.”

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Fortnum & Mason’s new EU website is the latest move by the brand to meet international demand for its products. The brand’s plans to open a store in Dubai International Airport (DBX) in the coming months, and a US distribution centre in 2024, will further enable the luxury retailer to provide a “consistent and reliable service” for its customers.

Sources: https://internetretailing.net/fortnum-mason-resumes-eu-delivery-with-dedicated-website/