What’s changed since the pandemic broke – and which developments could be here to stay? From voice commerce to interior design, May’s issue of Furniture News offers various perspectives on what ‘the new normal’ might look like, and how it could affect our trade. We quiz the people behind the industry’s online shows to assess the strengths, limitations and possibilities of screen-to-screen sourcing – and celebrate the return of face-to-face exhibitions in our comprehensive Long Point preview. Elsewhere, we look at how pandemic pressures have prompted retailers and suppliers to explore their sourcing options, meet the innovators taking the bed industry in new directions, and offer a glimpse of the ambition behind Wayfair UK, in an exclusive interview with its head of Europe, Martin Reiter. This month also sees the launch of our Readers’ Choice Awards, in recognition of the manufacturers, suppliers and service providers who really came through for the trade when it mattered most.
