During 2017, retail outlets brought in €23.8 million to the SNCB, an increase of more than 17% over a 12-month period. The railway company commented, “This positive result is the fruit of a strategy, implemented by the SNCB, aiming to strengthen station services and facilities.”
At the current time, the SNCB offers more than 36,000 m² in retail space across 424 outlets. By the end of 2019, an additional 4,000 m² will be added to this. The plan, in particular, includes the development of the “convenience store” concept offering, in equal measure, current food products and mass consumption products (hygiene, cleaning and similar items) alongside newspapers and magazines.
Moreover the company added that “to complete this product and service offering within stations, the SNCB will make available spaces for ‘food trucks’, with such outlets able to offer a range of constantly replenished products.”
The SNCB concluded, “The growth in revenues generated by these outlets is both the fruit of the growing success of these shops, but also the ever increasing number of passengers using the stations and trains.” Last year, the SNCB carried some 230 million domestic passengers.
The Brussels Times
