Hudson Embarks On Rollout Of PPE Vending Machines At 27 Airports

In the era of Covid-19 air travel, one of North America’s biggest travel retailers is launching personal protection equipment (PPE) vending machines across the U.S. and Canada.

Hudson—which has more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America—will start its rollout later this month. By the end of the summer, the company plans to have installed 27 machines in America’s busiest airports as well as the Houston Space Center.

The new product offerings are sourced and manufactured in the U.S. says Hudson, which is 57% owned by Switzerland-based Dufry, the world’s biggest travel retailer. PPE is a new category for Hudson but one that could become established over the coming year to 18 months as rising healthcare demand spills over into the consumer travel market.

“With the gradual return of passengers to airports across North America following Covid-19, we’re noticing a behavioral change in travelers which puts health and safety at the forefront of the travel experience,” says Hudson’s executive vice president and chief operating officer Brian Quinn. The PPE vending machines are designed to meet passenger expectations for these types of products.

The range will be sold under Hudson’s proprietary brand Traveler’s Best and includes PPE, cleaning products, and ultraviolet LED light sanitizing technology. The products—from individual and bulk-packaged face masks (disposable, KN95, and cloth options) to nitrile rubber gloves and multi-use thermometers—will also be found at Hudson’s travel convenience stores. However the vending machines give the retailer an all-day selling opportunity.

Hudson says that in some airports, travelers will also be able to buy name brand electronics and other travel items from its machines, including charging cables and wireless headphones. Gadgets and electronics are strong categories for Hudson.

This product diversity will give the retailer some flexibility to gain incremental sales through its duty-paid business which is its core revenue generator, accounting for 78% of 2019 net sales of $1.95 billion. The rest is from duty-free sales.

The vending machines—accessible to people with disabilities—will be located in pre-security locations within terminals. This exposes them to the maximum number of terminal users including airport workers. Touchscreens will be sealed with an anti-microbial shield that Hudson says “eliminates germs on the surface for three to four months before replacement”.

There is some evidence that U.S. air travel is getting back on its feet. Yesterday, June 9, Transportation Security Administration airport checkpoint numbers reached 338,382, the equivalent of 13.9% of the 2,433,189 passengers who travellers on the same day in 2019. However a month earlier on the same day in May this percentage was just 8.5% and on April 9 it was even lower at 4.2%.

How quickly air travel returns will depend on travellers’ perceptions of Covid-19 safety when they fly. A recent survey from Skift suggests that, for now, two-thirds of Americans will make their first trips by road, with only 20% saying they would go by plane.