Glee 2021
Glee is ready to refuel retail
Events are back, with Glee leading the charge as the first dedicated garden retail exhibition to make its in-person return post-lockdown between 14th – 16th September at the NEC Birmingham.
T
his year’s Glee will bring together hundreds of brands and thousands of exciting products under one roof, providing garden buyers with the first opportunity in 18 months to ‘shop’ new ranges to boost their retail offering and build on the incredible momentum created throughout lockdown. Reopening in line with government guidelines, Glee will provide a ‘Safe & Secure’ space where, under the banner of ‘refuelling retail’, the garden retail industry can come together to build business and network, as well as gathering inspiration for new product ranges, merchandising and point of sale, social media and branding. A visit to Glee can help fill the void created during the last 15 months where retailers were unable to focus on buying or source innovation and trend-led ranges. Matthew Mein, Glee’s Event Director, said: “We move into the 2021 event with a sense of excitement regarding the future development of our sector following a period of significant growth. Despite the pressures that have been placed on many by the supply chain, gardening has won the hearts and minds of so many and, as such, we are moving into a new chapter supported by a newly expanded ‘gardening army’. From an engaged audience, the ongoing
18 August 2021
potential of the ‘millennial pound’, new tech hitting the market, and a wealth of existing ranges continuing to hit the mark, Glee 2021 will be a thriving hub for the garden retail market, offering unrivalled value for both suppliers and visitors.” Exhibitors from across Glee’s eight product sectors are already busy planning their return to the exhibition. Whilst the pressures of the pandemic have forced suppliers to work differently, for many, new product development continued at pace. Reacting to consumer demand, suppliers are expected to bring to market products with a defined sustainability ethos, products that make life easier for gardeners, including hightech innovations, plus latest design updates to core, volume-driven categories. Garden Care is Glee’s most thriving area, and this year is set to feature everything from growing media, compost, fertilisers, and GYO products to garden machinery, garden tools and accessories, perfect for enticing the three-million strong new gardeners who took up the hobby during lockdown to keep flexing their green fingers.
Glee 2021 will be a thriving hub for the garden retail market.
The Evergreen Garden Care won the Greatest Floral Team Award at Glee in 2019. Who will win on Floral Thursday in 2021?
Glee’s Landscaping and Garden Decoration provides an unrivalled showcase of influential brands and leaders in garden and landscaping design. Featuring stunning displays, this area of Glee is a must-see section of the show, featuring many bestpractice examples of how to cross-sell products in situ. From hard landscaping and aggregates to fencing, garden buildings and decorative accents such as pots, structures, soft landscaping, statuary, water features and timber supplies, Landscaping and Garden Decoration has everything to help garden retailers, builders’ merchants and landscapers to maximise those products that create the framework of every garden. Outdoor Entertaining is the place to source products that really enable people to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle and will feature the best from the industry’s leading companies, making it the ideal opportunity for buyers looking to source next year’s ranges and tap into the stratospheric rise in the popularity of these products over the last 18 months. Despite the pressures of the pandemic the popularity of gifts, homeware and outdoor clothing shows no sign of abating, helping to keep the tills ringing year-round as consumers look to optimise key gifting events as well as adding value to their homes and garden with stylish accessories. Post-lockdown, a shift towards UK-grown talent and production is coupled with an increased average spend as consumers look to treat themselves and loved ones more than ever following a year of enforced distance. As such, Glee’s popular Home, Gift & Clothing category is set to welcome a range of brands offering everything from outdoor clothing ranges and picnicware to seasonal decorations, games, toys and books. Glee Plants, the Green Heart in the Atrium area, is where buyers can shop for the best in nursery stock, bedding plants, trees and shrubs, as well as houseplants which has seen annual sales boom to over
www.gardentradenews.co.uk