August 30, 2007 Air Travel Security Tough On The Waistline

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By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

We’ve long suspected that waiting in line to take off your shoes for complete strangers is hard on your blood pressure but now there’s a report that suggests it might also be making people fat. Confectionarynews.com says a study shows sales of candy and snacks at airports went up almost 12 percent in 2006 to a total of $1.9 billion and says stiffer airport security is the reason. In fact, sales have gone up by at least 10 percent in each of the last four quarters, the report, by Generation Research, says. The research company says the fact that security screening forces people spend more time at the airport could be a factor in the increased sales. “Confectionery is well above the market average growth resulting in the conclusion that confectionery's importance and market share in global duty free and travel retail sales is continuing to improve," Generation Research said.