Positive start to the British promotional product year

Merchandise World once again heralded the start of the year for the British promotional products industry this year. The trade fair, which took place on 22 and 23 January at the CBS Arena in Coventry, traditionally brings together manufacturers and suppliers with retailers from the UK and Ireland. According to the organisers, the industry service provider Sourcing City and the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), visitors from the EU and the USA were also represented at the trade fair this time.

According to the organisers, the total number of visitors was only just below the record set before the Covid break in 2020. A total of 1,460 visitors from 574 distribution companies came to find out about innovations and trends from 174 exhibitors. According to the organisers, suppliers from overseas accounted for 20 percent of all exhibitors: ‘Several of these exhibitors presented products or services that are not readily available from UK suppliers. Others offered services based in the EU that enable retailers to order and deliver directly in the EU.’ The focus of the articles on display was clearly on new environmentally friendly products, to which a separate area, the ‘ECO World’, was dedicated, emphasising the trend towards sustainability.

According to the organisers, the mood among exhibitors and visitors was positive despite the difficult economic situation in the UK. ‘We are delighted to see the show go from strength to strength and to hear compliments from exhibitors and visitors alike. Our team works passionately to make the event special and it’s great to see that being recognised. We are also very proud of the quality and quantity of visitors, which is also appreciated by our exhibitors. It’s great to see everyone getting value from the show and benefiting from the business opportunities that Merchandise World creates. Planning for the next show is starting now and we look forward to seeing everyone again next time,’ concludes show organiser Ella Long. For more information visit: www.merchandiseworld.co.uk