Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - July/August 2025

54 selling a range of ‘Choose Cards’ t-shirts inspired by classic pop designs of the ’80s – allowing shoppers and greeting cards sellers alike to profess their love for the industry. The GCA ensures the concerns of our industry are heard in one voice by those who can affect change. The GCA is proud that its petition, which calls for proper parliamentary scrutiny of any proposed changes to the Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation (USO), has won the support of nearly 23,000 signatories – more than double the number required to warrant an official response from government. This is not a fringe issue, and our concerns are shared by a broad church of organisations including Citizens Advice and the National Federation of Sub Post Masters – with the latter also lending its support to our petition. We’re aware that changes are needed to modernise the postal service, and are eager to play our part in shaping what these reforms might be – but whatever form they take, they need to focus not just on cutting costs, but in restoring trust in the postal service and providing an affordable and reliable service small businesses can depend on. As Kate Malt, one of our members and founder of Cornwall-based greeting cards business Kate Loves, points out: “The postal service, as a basic service and principle, is on par with great institutions like the NHS and the railways.” But as things currently stand, we understand the concern from some quarters that Royal Mail is neglecting its obligation to the British public, and the many businesses that rely upon it. Ofcom has recently launched an investigation into the postal service’s failure to meet its own delivery performance targets for the third consecutive year – incurring fines of over £16m to date as a result. Against this backdrop, does slashing secondclass delivery days while first-class stamp prices surge unabated seem in the best interests of the British public? We at the GCA do not believe so, which is why we are engaging with Ofcom, MPs across the political spectrum and other key bodies to preserve our postal service, both today and for generations to come. If our postal service becomes unusable, either due to price or reliability, it’s more than an inconvenience, it causes real damage – to small business, postmasters, pensioners for whom a letter is their lifeline to the wider world, and those living in rural communities. Our members make up part of an industry that contributes over £1.5bn to the UK economy per year and is made up of businesses of all shapes and sizes – from full-time parents working from their kitchen table after the kids are in bed, to recent graduates working a side-hustle alongside their nine to five, right through to fully-fledged retail operations with dozens of employees. The GCA embraces designers, publishers, retailers, agents, distributors and specialist recommended suppliers of materials / services to the industry. Research from Hallmark showed that Gen Z and Millennial customers sent more Christmas cards last year than ever before, and our own research echoes this. In 2023, £178 million was spent in the UK on individual Christmas cards – an increase of more than £10 million yearon-year. The British send more cards per capita than any other nation – although these days over 50 percent are handdelivered; we want everyone to be able to continue to receive that lovely feeling of an unexpected hand-written envelope on the door mat. Thinking of You Week is a great time to connect with friends, family and colleagues through greeting cards. We encourage everyone to get involved - whether making or buying a card, reach out to someone you care about. The GCA will continue to work to protect and promote greeting card sending - supporting its members to build their businesses, campaigning for a postal service that allows small businesses across the UK to not just survive, but thrive. And continuing to remind consumers about the joy of sending and receiving greeting cards; please go and send a card today to someone you’re thinking of! Greeting Card Association www.gca.cards www.thinkingofyouweek.cards Shamblen Studios

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