Schiphol refuses to rent out retail space to an entrepreneur who wants to start a liquor store, behind passport control. According to the entrepreneur, Richard van Nieuwenhoven Helbach, Schiphol only wants to allocate the valuable retail space to its own subsidiary Schiphol Airport Retail, thereby violating the law. Schiphol claims to be able to decide for itself who it lets trade at the airport.
Van Nieuwenhoven wants to start a drinks shop in Lounge 3, behind security and passport control, with the name ‘Spirits of Schiphol’. According to Van Nieuwenhoven, his store adds something to the offer at Schiphol, thanks to the concept of mainly Dutch liqueurs and drinks. There is already at least one drinks shop in every lounge at the airport.
Schiphol has rejected the proposal of Van Nieuwenhoven and his business partners. The airport receives many requests from entrepreneurs, but retail space is scarce. Anyone who wants to rent a retail space at Schiphol – behind security – must meet strict security requirements, which Van Nieuwenhoven does not succeed in, according to Schiphol.
Monopolist
Van Nieuwenhoven calls Schiphol a monopolist because, according to him, the airport mainly allocates retail space to subsidiary Schiphol Airport Retail. “It is not possible and it is not allowed,” says Van Nieuwenhoven.
Schiphol director Dick Benschop does not want to respond to that accusation of monopoly, because he does not know this specific file, but says that his airport offers space not only for global brands, but also for Dutch products. He does confirm that Schiphol has the last word in who can and who cannot settle at Schiphol.
To the judge
Van Nieuwenhoven says he will not leave it at that. Although the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) has already rejected his case due to lack of time and insufficient social impact, the entrepreneur wants to go to court for his right.