International voices share what they appreciate about the retail trade show
by Julia Pott (exclusively for EuroShop.mag)
EuroShop – “The World’s No. 1 Retail Trade Fair” – attracts visitors from all over the world to Düsseldorf every three years. But what makes EuroShop so appealing to visitors?
A look into the comprehensive range of experience dimensions and the diverse supporting program at EuroShop 2023 from February 26 to March 2 whets the appetite for the trade show. We ask: What else do visitors appreciate about the trade show?
Why you should visit EuroShop?
To find out why people travel long distances to attend EuroShop, what they expect from the show, and how we can continually improve what we offer, we capture visitor voices around the events.
To discover the needs of companies from the retail industry and at the same time present the EuroShop event, the EuroShop team travels the world. For example, Elke Moebius, Director EuroShop/EuroCIS, Portfolio Retail + Retail Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, was in South Africa in 2022.
An international audience of visitors and exhibitors
There she met Maria Murtas Lawrence, Group Visual Merchandising Manager for Cape Union Mart, who is looking forward to EuroShop 2023, partly because the show promises a good overview of the European and global market.
Already in 2020, this internationality of the fair was highlighted by visitors. Leszek Zieliński from Poland provided his impressions.
The figures of the last few years confirm this: EuroShop exudes an international appeal for both exhibitors and visitors alike. In 2020, visitors from 142 countries came to the trade show and exhibitors also traveled from over 50 countries.
Expanding the business network
The large number of exhibitors, visitors and international networking make EuroShop – as many participants confirm – an attractive meeting place for making new contacts and maintaining existing business relationships. Thabo from South Africa makes the long journey to Düsseldorf for this reason.
EuroShop offers numerous services that promote precisely these networking opportunities. For example, the matchmaking tool suggests suitable contacts based on a user’s interests, inspiring them to expand their own professional network. Virtual meeting rooms are also available for meetings, in addition to the numerous opportunities at the trade show.
Latest trends and valuable industry insights
Romano Pansera, a member of the POPAI Association Brazil, has been visiting EuroShop since 2005 and appreciates the opportunity to track down the latest trends and get inspired there.
Many visitors experience EuroShop as a place where they can gather new ideas and find out about the latest trends and developments.
Inspiration is provided not only by exhibitors’ stands and offerings, but also by the varied supporting program with talks, discussions, special areas and awards ceremonies.
Hot topics at EuroShop
Even in 2020, visitors praised the focus on the important topic of sustainability at the industry event. Luiza Helena Trajano, a successful entrepreneur in Brazil with her MAGAZINE Louisa retail chain, was impressed by the numerous sustainable solutions presented in Düsseldorf. She also talks about her entrepreneurial success story and what retail in Brazil has to do with the women’s movement.
2023, for example, at the special area “THINK SUSTAINABLY – ACT RESPONSIBLY. How to create a sustainable future in LiveCom”, visitors can learn a great deal about how event presentations can be made more sustainable.
The importance of the topic of Sustainability and Energy Management, as well as many other trending themes that move the industry, is reflected in the eight Hot Topics at EuroShop 2023. In addition to the two mentioned, the technology-oriented topics of Customer Centricity, Connected Retail and Smart Stores also strike a chord. The design of hospitality and lively town centers is also an acute challenge in which brick-and-mortar retail has a central role to play. Therefore, the hot topics Experience, Third Places and Vital City Centers are also of great importance for many participants.
Visitors mustn’t only passively absorb lectures on these topics. In interactive areas, they can think along, try things out and create new realities themselves. On the future of city centers, for example, the Future Urban Lab special area offers an interactive format in which trade show visitors can participate.
EuroShop offers too many inspirations; five days are too short to take it all in. There is so much more to tell.
But we’ll leave the closing words to Mohamad Faroqui, a visitor who was enthusiastic about EuroShop 2020 and was already looking to the future at that time:
Mr Faroqui says it best: Make a note of February 26 to March 2, 2023. Come to EuroShop, it’s worth it.
