Autumn Fair 2026 closed following four days of buying, discovery and networking at the NEC Birmingham, with feedback from retailers and exhibitors highlighting a more cross-category approach to sourcing, growing demand for distinctive and story-led products, and the continued importance of face-to-face relationships in retail.Across Gift, Home, Fashion and the newly co-located Glee, buyers from leading retailers including John Lewis, TJX Europe, Fenwick, NEXT, IKEA, Argos, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, The Range, Mamas & Papas, Dobbies, Blue Diamond, British Garden Centres, Natural History Museum, British Museum, ZSL, Royal Shakespeare Company, Hobbycraft, Scribbler, Paper Tiger, Joules, Mountain Warehouse, QVC and Amazon, alongside a broad mix of independent retailers, garden centres, visitor attractions and specialist stores, have used the show to discover new products, meet existing and potential suppliers and identify opportunities beyond their traditional buying categories, with the combined event creating new crossover between home, garden, gift, fashion and lifestyle.
The co-location with Glee emerged as one of the strongest themes of the show, with retailers using the two-day opportunity to combine their Autumn Fair gift, home and fashion buying with garden, outdoor and lifestyle sourcing. For some buyers, the combination has changed the way they approach their buying trip, enabling them to move between categories and make one longer visit work harder.
The crossover has also opened new markets for exhibitors. Tretorn distributor Juls Dawson said buyers from gift, lifestyle and interiors businesses had discovered opportunities for its rainwear, "What has been particularly interesting is meeting buyers who weren't necessarily coming to the show looking for clothing. We've had people from gift shops, lifestyle stores and interiors businesses who have seen the collection and thought, 'Actually, I could see these raincoats working in our stores.' That's opened the brand up to retailers we wouldn't normally meet through the traditional fashion shows. We already supply some garden centres, and that's a market we really want to develop further, so having Glee here creates a great opportunity for us to meet more of those buyers."
While buyers arrived with specific ranges and gaps in mind, conversations across the show demonstrated that discovery remains one of the key reasons retailers value physical trade shows. Claire Bevan, Head of Buying at the Natural History Museum, highlighted the growing importance of distinctive, story-led products and stronger relationships with producers and suppliers. "In the area I buy for, there's definitely a lot of optimism and I'm seeing more products that are story-led, creative and distinctive. There's a real focus on going back into the supply chain, working with great producers and suppliers, and creating products that have a strong story behind them. That's something I'm seeing more and more of every year when I come to Autumn Fair."
Independent retailers were a consistent presence across the show, with exhibitors reporting strong conversations with boutiques, independents, garden centres and smaller retail groups. Mark Green, Sales and Growth Strategist at Raspberry Blossom said, "Autumn Fair has been really good for us. We've had a lot of independents coming to us looking for something a bit different, and we've generated a lot of new business, including orders from people who hadn't heard of us before."
Quality, sustainability and value The feedback from buyers also points to a nuanced approach to value. With consumers under pressure and RRPs increasing, retailers are conscious of price, but that does not necessarily mean trading down. Abbi Salkled, Buying Manager at English Heritage said, "Retail is challenging at the moment, and you can see that at the shows, with RRPs going up and consumers becoming tighter with their spending. That doesn't necessarily change what we buy, though – we still look for quality and sustainability because those things represent our brand values, rather than going for cheaper plastic products."
This reflects a wider emphasis across the show on products that offer retailers a clear story, point of difference and reason for consumers to buy.
The final day saw Retail Huddle Live take over the Counter Talks Stage, bringing founders, retailers and industry experts together for a programme of practical advice, interactive workshops and candid discussion. The morning covered everything from AI and digital skills to seasonal planning, creator collaborations, visual merchandising, sustainability and winning new retail listings. Among the sessions, Natasha Birk, Head of Product & E-Commerce at FlightStory (The Diary of a CEO), led Unlocking Growth by Obsessing Over the 1%, exploring how small, strategic improvements can unlock growth, while visual merchandising specialist Sarah Manning examined how retailers can use the psychology of customer behaviour to improve displays, store journeys and ecommerce.
Ami Rabheru, Founder of Retail Huddle said, "What a fabulous Retail Huddle takeover at Autumn Fair! The feedback from brands and retailers was clear and they loved having the opportunity to actually talk. From peer-to-peer discussions and shared experiences to learning from brilliant experts and making new connections, there was a real sense of collaboration throughout the morning. A huge thank you to all our incredible hosts, including our special guest Natasha Birk, Head of Product at FlightStory, home of The Diary of a CEO. For me, the best part was watching those lightbulb moments, connections and conversations happening around the room.
"I've always believed networking is one of the most powerful things you can do for your business. It's where ideas are born, collaborations begin and sometimes your next move becomes clear. We saw that happening first-hand at Retail Huddle Live – bringing creativity and retail strategy together and showing that success really is a collaborative journey."
Partners, experiences and connections
The show was supported by headline sponsor TY, alongside a strong network of partners and activations bringing additional insight, discovery, and inspiration adding further opportunities for buyers to discover products, share ideas, network and make connections throughout the four days. Whatnot's live commerce activation proved a particularly busy destination, with buyers engaging with the working studio and exploring the opportunities presented by live shopping and community-led commerce. The Gift of the Year Showcase presented an edited selection of standout products and must-have gifts for the year ahead, providing buyers with a quick route to some of the most exciting new launches.
Alibaba's Accio supported product discovery and sourcing, while Faire continued its focus on helping independent retailers discover new brands and opportunities. Buying & Beyond brought an equally important perspective to the show, creating a space for retailers and buying experts to explore the changing role of the buyer, the importance of curiosity and instinct, and how data, AI and trend information can be balanced with creativity and real-world discovery. Alongside Retail Huddle Live, it reinforced the importance of conversation, peer-to-peer learning and stepping outside the day-to-day to find the ideas and connections that can shape what comes next.
Looking ahead
Autumn Fair and Glee will align their September dates again in 2027, with Autumn Fair taking place from 5–8 September 2027 and Glee from 6–8 September 2027 at the NEC Birmingham.
www.autumnfair.com
www.gleebirmingham.com
