00-00 Retail Round Table FINAL.qxp_Grid 19/05/2024 12:10 Page 1
RETAILER ROUNDTABLE Inset: Harrods has seen a surge in coffee again and expects to see products like this grinder from Barista & Co in the running for EIHA. Bottom left: John Lewis has seen a trend for hydration products like the range from S’Well.
TALKING SHOP Entries for the Excellence in Housewares 2024 awards are now flooding in. Retail judges Margaret Osei-Bonsu, Harrods buyer; David Conduit, director of Harts of Stur; Lizzie Batchelar, John Lewis buyer; and Simone Hillman, buying director at Borough Kitchen, tell PH what they are hoping to see in the products competing for the coveted trophies this year.
What new products are you hoping or expecting to see in the EIHA categories this year? Margaret: There has been a surge in coffee again. Customers appear more engaged and knowledgeable in this category, becoming their own baristas and investing in quality coffee machines. I expect to see more brands entering this category, with more variations both in manual and bean-to-cup. Lizzie: I’m expecting to see some air fryer accessories as the trend for the appliance continues, innovative storage solutions and multi-purpose cook products. David: Most things are covered in the existing categories, I think, but I’m hoping to find a 'British made' category as this is a growing area. Simone: I’d expect to see a lot of recycled materials being used to make homewares and cookware.
Left: Margaret Osei-Bonsu.
What innovation has there been in the sector that you’d expect to be reflected in the entries? David: I’m not sure I have seen any genuine innovation this year. Simone: We’ve seen a British company that creates recycled plastic homewares that in
turn can be recycled: ReBorn. I’d love to see them in the running for an award. Margaret: Consumers have changed their lifestyle with minimalistic homes. Creativity and innovation is expected to adapt to this new culture. Products need to be aesthetically pleasing, simple to use, multifunctional and easy to store. Storage solutions are imperative, a clear worktop is more desirable within modern kitchens. Lizzie: I expect to see innovation in food storage reflected.
Is there likely to be an increase in the sustainable credentials of the products being entered? Simone: Hopefully so as customers will be interested to know more about the materials: their source, the factories that manufacture them - are they eco-friendly using the minimum of natural resources, recycling their waste and making a
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