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View the latest issue of Gift Focus for FREE! |
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Just a reminder that you can view the latest issue of your favourite gift/homewares trade magazine for FREE.
Simply Follow this link
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 |
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| July/August 2024 |
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Now that Labour is now in power, hopefully they'll hold good to their manifesto promises and that independent retail will benefit from the election, with the party prioritising our industry and seeing the benefit in the local high street and the sense of community it instils in an ever-invading sea of chain stores. However, with the announcement of new employment laws and employee rights, this gives small businesses a new set of factors to learn and navigate; the Federation of Small Businesses has been vocal about the matter - so watch this space.
However, in times of uncertainty, pick-up items continue to fare well as consumers look to indulge in a lower-cost items while pulling back on larger ticket goods. And that’s why gifting will always be at the forefront of buyers' minds, no matter how big or small the purchase is or whatever the occasion.
Coming off the back of key summer trade shows Home & Gift, Exclusively and Progressive Greetings, we're gearing up for Autumn Fair, GLEE and Top Drawer, and can't wait to see what the show organisers have in store for these events.
See you there !
Louise x |
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| Strong re-booking sales for Toy Fair |
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The Toy Fair, which will celebrate its 71st show in January 2025, has again welcomed an extremely high returnee booking rate for next year's event with the entire ground floor and newly branded Gold Zone (formerly Greenhouse) already sold out. With more than six months still to go, the show has also received a high level of new applications and therefore any companies still considering booking exhibition space at the 2025 show are encouraged to apply now.
Read more...... |
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| Ashleigh & Burwood appoints new CEO |
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Literacy Capital has announced the appointment of Penny Grivea as its new CEO for Ashleigh & Burwood, their consumer Home Fragrance brand. Ashleigh & Burwood has a 30 year heritage.
Penny Grivea brings 25 years of consumer and retail experience to the brand, having previously worked for Selfridges, Harrods and Georg Jensen. For the last 9 years she's headed up the Beauty and Home multinational Rituals in the UK and IE; establishing the business and leading their expansion from 7 to 80 stores.
"We are thrilled to welcome Penny to the Ashleigh & Burwood team," said Paul Pindar at Literacy Capital."
Read more...... |
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| Valpak's PackFlow reports provide valuable insight |
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James Skidmore, Director of Consulting at Valpak, explained that the PackFlow 2023 reports, commissioned by WRAP, show that, for most materials, the amount of packaging placed on the market has decreased compared to 2019. He added: "As we approach the full implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR), accurate data and baselines are more important than ever. The reports, which are used by UK governments to inform packaging policy, also offer valuable insights into packaging market trends.
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| Help in a crisis |
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Employees and workforces across the UK are feeling the strain of the cost of-living, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) finding that nearly half of households throughout the country have experienced their living costs increasing compared to the previous month. Not only can this have a huge impact on expenses for commuting but can have a significant knock-on effect on mental health and morale. This is where employers and businesses can support their workforces during these difficult times to help keep morale and well-being boosted, as well as providing options that can help relieve some of the financial pressure that they're under. Before providing solutions to the issue, it's important to understand the reality of this crisis and how the ripple effects impact millions of workers in the UK. The rise of consumer goods and services by 9.6 percent in October 2022 and the inflation rate staying at 4.2 percent exiting December 2023 means that workers are forced to reevaluate how they manage their money and the resources available.
Read more...... |
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| Autumn Fair gets you ready for Christmas |
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Autumn Fair, the UK's largest seasonal showcase for Home, Gift & Fashion, is set to take place from the 1st - 4th of September at NEC Birmingham. This year's event promises to be a pivotal occasion for retailers looking to stock their shelves and create the most enticing shop windows in preparation for the Christmas period. registration for Autumn Fair is now open.
Read more...... |
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| Fable England launches capsule collection with Natural History Museum |
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Fable England has launched a capsule collection with London's Natural History Museum for AW24.
The 38-piece collection features hand-painted enamel jewellery, illustrative print silk scarves, luxury sleepwear as well as signature Fable England bag shapes, dominated by an exclusive print created for the collection. With the natural world as their muse, Fable England thoughtfully weave stories from British literature through each of their collections, and their latest – developed in collaboration with London's Natural History Museum – is no exception.
Forming a connection over their shared love of the natural world, Fable England and the Museum relished the opportunity to delve into the Museum's special collections; a treasure trove of artworks, manuscripts, and rare books, to seek out inspiration for a new collection.
Read more...... |
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| Bulldog Licensing announces new deals with Sesame Street |
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Leading licensing agency Bulldog Licensing, which represents Sesame Street in the UK on behalf of the global impact non-profit Sesame Workshop, has announced two new deals for the much-loved brand as Sesame Street continues to grow its presence on screen, on digital platforms and at UK retail.
Heathside Trading and OddBalls are the latest partners to join the fast-growing Sesame Street licensing campaign.
Heathside Trading, which specialises in branded toys and games, collectibles, drinkware and gifts, will be producing a wide range of Sesame Street gifts and novelties, including mini figures, 2D keychains, 3D bag clips, drinking bottles, bobblehead figures and die cast figures.
Read more...... |
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| Forthcoming Events |
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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...
1-4 Sep 2024 - Source Home & Gift
NEC Birmingham, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT
www.source-homeandgift.com
1-4 Sep 2024 - Autumn Fair 2024
NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT
www.autumnfair.com
3-4 Sep 2024 - INDX Toy & Gift
Cranmore Park in Solihull, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF
www.indxshows.co.uk
8-10 Sep 2024 - Top Drawer London
Olympia London, Hammersmith Rd, London, W14 8UX
www.topdrawer.co.uk
10-12 Sep 2024 - Glee
NEC Birmingham, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT
www.gleebirmingham.com
10-11 Sep 2024 - INDX Homewares
Cranmore Park in Solihull, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF
www.indxshows.co.uk
11-12 Sep 2024 - London Packaging Week London
ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London, E16 1XL
www.londonpackagingweek.com
14-15 Sep 2024 - The Big Christmas Press Show
Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH
www.cijgroup.co/london2024
24-26 Sep 2024 - Brand Licensing Europe
ExCel London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London, E16 1XL
www.brandlicensing.eu/en/home.html |
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