Gift Focus magazine
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View the latest issue of Gift Focus for FREE!
 

View the latest issue of Gift Focus for FREE!

 
Just a reminder that you can view the latest issue of your favourite gift/homewares trade magazine for FREE.

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You can also read any of our previous issues by following this link

Gift Focus is the UK's leading trade title aimed at gift and homewares bricks & mortar and online retailers.

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Enjoy, keep safe and well and please accept our sincere best wishes from everyone here at Gift Focus
 
January/February 2026
 
Happy New Year – and welcome to the first issue of 2026! We hope your festive season was happy, productive and successful, with tills ringing and planning paying off. As we step into a new year, Gift Focus will be right by your side, helping you fill your shelves – and your online stores – with the industry’s strongest brands and most exciting new launches.

Throughout 2026, we’ll continue to highlight the products best suited to key consumer moments, while delivering trusted business advice, exclusive gift show previews and in-depth spotlights on the companies shaping our sector.

We’re starting the year as we mean to go on, with an issue packed full of must-read content. Spring Fair once again kicks off the buying season with energy and innovation, and in this edition you’ll find part two of our comprehensive preview, complete with exhibitor profiles to give you the edge before you hit the halls. The first months of the year also bring a cluster of sales boosting consumer events. To help you maximise every opportunity, we’re shining the spotlight on Easter gifting, Mother’s Day, anniversary and wedding keepsakes, and the key trends set to define 2026, as predicted by those in the know.

We’re excited for another year of gift-giving inspiration and proud to remain your go-to magazine for insight, curation and buying confidence. Here’s to making 2026 your most positive – and most successful – year yet.

Enjoy the issue!

Louise x
 
How Maped Helix is Supporting Every Child's Way of Learning
 
How Maped Helix is Supporting Every Child's Way of Learning
 
Learning doesn't always look the same for every child and Maped Helix believe that's something worth celebrating. With Children's Mental Health Week taking place 9th to 15th Feb, Maped Helix is shining a light on the many different ways children learn and the importance of helping every child feel confident and supported in their place in the classroom or at home.

Read more......
 
Record attendance at Harrogate Christmas & Gift
 
Record attendance at Harrogate Christmas & Gift
 
The year 2026 began on a sparkling high as festive and gift buyers flocked to Harrogate for the UK's only dedicated Christmas trade show, Harrogate Christmas & Gift. Taking place in early January, the event welcomed a record number of buyers, with attendance up 12 percent on the 2025 show, underlining the continued strength and relevance of the sector's flagship event.

Read more......
 
Product recall: Hobbycraft Giant Box of Craft 1000 Pieces
 
Product recall: Hobbycraft Giant Box of Craft 1000 Pieces
 
A product recall statement from Hobbycraft below has been announced. They say, "Product safety is of the utmost importance to Hobbycraft. Following independent testing of a children's sand product previously sold by Hobbycraft, traces of asbestos have been identified in a limited number of samples. The product was removed from sale immediately after concerns were raised, and there is no evidence of any injury or harm to customers. In co-ordination with Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety & Standards, we are voluntarily recalling the Giant Box of Craft with immediate effect. This recall is being undertaken as a precaution, in line with regulatory guidance and our own commitment to product safety.

Read more......
 
The GA  announces membership of the British Retail Consortium
 
The GA announces membership of the British Retail Consortium
 
The Giftware Association (GA) is delighted to announce it has officially joined the British Retail Consortium (BRC), strengthening its commitment to championing and supporting businesses across the UK gift and home sector. The move marks a significant step in aligning the GA and its members with the UK's leading retail body, renowned for shaping policy, elevating retail standards, and supporting organisations across the evolving retail landscape.

Read more......
 
Hale Events confirms final edition of Gift & Home trade show
 
Hale Events confirms final edition of Gift & Home trade show
 
Hale Events has confirmed that the 2026 edition of the Devon-based Giving & Living Trade Show was its last. "This show has marked a significant chapter in the life of the gifting industry, Hale Events, and for me personally," said Mike Anderson, Managing Director.

This decision comes after careful consideration. While the gift and home market continues to grow, the way products reach consumers has changed dramatically over the past decade and accelerated since the pandemic. Many businesses now sell direct to consumers or combine consumer and trade sales, and online B2B platforms and marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, Faire, and Temu have become significant routes to market.

Read more......
 
Forthcoming Events
 
Please note: All dates are subject to changes, contact organisers for more information before making arrangements. To view more events, please visit the events page on our website...

24-25 Feb 2026 - INDX Home
Cranmore Park in Solihull, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF
indxshows.co.uk/shows/home-show

13-15 Apr 2026 - Farm Shop & Deli Show
Birmingham NEC, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT
www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk

6-8 May 2026 - h+h americas
Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center in Rosemont/Chicago IL
www.hh-americas.com

12-13 May 2026 - The London Stationery Show
Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH
www.stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

19 May 2026 - INDX Gift Edit
Cranmore Park in Solihull, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF
indxshows.co.uk/shows/giftindxshows.co.uk/blog/indx-gift-2026-exciting-plans-revealed