Recent years have demonstrated that Glee is not afraid of change. This theme will continue in the year ahead as the organisers of the annual exhibition for the garden retail industry confirms its exciting plans for the 2018 show – including a bigger exhibition space and brand new products.

 

Next year, Glee will be relocating to NEC Halls 6,7,8, 19-20, providing the show with a much bigger footprint, and an even larger and more exciting exhibition.   Exhibitors will be able to relocate, whilst visitors will be walking an updated floorplan; discovering new products and companies at every turn.  The overall effect will be a refreshed, revitalised event, as Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director explains:  “Glee has been growing at a significant rate – for example we had over 200 new brands join us at the 2017 event - and that means we’ve outgrown our current home. Glee has successfully relocated before, and we hope that this next move will be received with the same level of industry support. Not only will the exhibition be able to better accommodate more exhibitors and visitors, but its refreshed layout will breathe new life into the show. This move is inspired by the way that retailers keep their store interesting for customers by constantly revising the layout. This way customers discover more, and ultimately spend more – something we know our exhibitors and visitors want to replicate during their time at Glee.”

GIMA’s latest Barometer of Trade, a report that provides overall market analysis through information supplied via members, has highlighted that cost increases are set to become more prevalent.  Here the trade association, representing manufacturers within the garden retail industry, shares further insight into these latest findings, and explains what this might mean for the industry. 

 

Now in its third year, the latest edition highlights alarming trends in percentage increases for all base costs, highlighting an entirely unavoidable state of affairs for the industry.   

 

Raw materials have risen in excess of 13% in the last 12 months, with a 5% increase witnessed  since the beginning of 2017. This ongoing upsurge could potentially have a negative impact on innovation, with aspects such as packaging, product size and colour becoming the new benchmark for ‘innovation’.  .  ‘Safe’ products that do little to stimulate shoppers’ interest in the sector as a whole could also become more prevalent if costs continue to keep rising at the same rate.

STIHL Group has made the decision to broaden its retail network as it sees the demand for Lithium-Ion products grow exponentially.

 

As part of a five store pilot - with a view to future developments - keen gardeners will now be able to purchase STIHL cordless and electric products and accessories from designated Dobbies Garden Centres across Scotland. This move will help STIHL to satisfy a growing consumer appetite for cordless garden tools and offer Dobbies a premium tool brand to reflect its customer demographic. 

 

The new pilot programme will be rolled out across Dobbies Garden Centres in Edinburgh (Melville), Aberdeen, Dundee, Ayr and Glasgow (Braehead), all of which will feature STIHL’s new Point of Sale system - specifically optimised for garden centres. Dobbies’ Melville store will be the first to unveil the STIHL range as of 15th September 2017.