Royal Wedding to how the industry has fared in the first quarter – plus loads more besides – it’s all there in the May/June issue of Progressive Gifts & Home which is out now.
With all the hype and publicity surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan’s big day on Saturday May 19, the good news is that both gift suppliers and Windsor gift retailers have been receiving a welcome sales boost, with commemorative Royal Wedding memorabilia hitting the spot. The Royal Wedding has, of course, put weddings – and gifting – very much in the spotlight this year, with gift companies revealing what’s trending giftwise.
Although traditional wedding lists may be less popular than they once were, the popularity of TV cookery shows such as The Great British Bake Off and MasterChef have invigorated the kitchen gifts market place, with design-led packaging elevating prosaic items to become very giftable. Ahead of the Exclusively Housewares show, which opens its doors on June 12-13, we spoke to some of the leading suppliers to discover what’s driving sales for the coming season.
Home fragrancing too, continues to up its game each season. With floral and fruity fragrances currently in pole position, suppliers have gone all out to capture the scents of summer.
Staying with summer and feeling good about yourself, it’s also very much about looking your best. Our Body Beautiful bath and body feature focuses on what’s trending, with the sector getting a huge fillip thanks to men’s grooming products.
In addition, find out what Nic Stone, owner of The Bottle Kiln in West Hallam, has to say about being deluged with too much branded gift wrapping and why Lesley Dunne, owner of Feathering Your Nest in Rayleigh, is looking back with a new website to stay in tune with her current – and future – customer base.
Plus, for gift retailers who want to be ‘card sharp’, it’s all to play for at PG Live which will be taking place at London’s Business Design Centre in Islington from June 5-6. This year is an extra special one, as the show will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, so come along and join in the fun as you find the greeting cards to differentiate your shop from your competitors. There’s a free lunch on both days, as well as free refreshments, and a fabulous after-show party.
While it’s arguably been a good year for the industry in many ways – for one thing, export is continuing to boom – what has definitely been a damper has been the stories about the high street. But there’s plenty of encouraging news from a cross-section of gift indies who reported a surprisingly good first quarter. See our Feedback article to read what they had to say.
There’s lots more too, including our What’s New pages highlighting a wealth of product innovation, as well as all the very latest industry news and views.
Click here to read the issue online
Happy reading!
