CREATIVE RETAIL AWARDS REVEAL SHORTLIST FOR 2023 The Creative Retail Awards is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2023 Awards. The shortlist presents some of the very best in global retail, leisure, and hospitality design & display with projects including Flannels, Gaucho, Selfridges, Myriam K, Hamleys, Nike and many more. The panel of judges found it even tougher than usual this year to shortlist the entries, with exceptional quality submitted from all corners of the globe, from North America, across Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East. As physical retail evolves, design and experience have become more influential tools than ever. The Creative Retail Awards has recognised the industry’s best companies and talent since 2018. With categories including sustainability, omnichannel, technology, VM schemes, POP/POS, shopfitting, store design, experience, and innovation, the Awards recognise talent across the full spectrum of design and display. The Winners and Highly Commended entries will be announced on the 21st of September at Proud Embankment, London, where a night of entertainment, drinks, dancing and networking will be held. The big night will showcase Creative Retail Awards’ unique take on a ceremony that blends networking with an informal party atmosphere celebrating the diversity in our industry. Tickets for the night, including the everpopular and much in demand booth-seating, are available to be reserved now via the Awards website. You can view the full list of shortlisted entries and reserve your tickets for the big night at www.creativeretailawards.com GARDEN CENTRES MISSING OUT ON SALES OF BABY GIFTS Ziggle Baby, the multi-awardwinning baby gift brand, has recently commissioned research into the current demand and availability of baby gifts within garden centres. The survey, which was conducted in June 2023, targeted females aged 25-45 who have bought or received a baby gift in the last 12 months. The results showed a huge opportunity as 85 percent of respondents said they are interested in buying baby gifts from their local garden centre. The implication is that garden centres are clearly a type of retail environment of choice to browse and purchase baby gifts. The relaxed browsing atmosphere with easy parking, everything on ground level, wide aisles and cafes is highly suitable for parents and extended families with prams, cars and accessibility concerns. 17 percent stated that their local garden centre doesn’t sell any baby gifts at all, yet they would like it to. These are evidently regular existing visitors who know what is, and what isn’t available. They would likely be instant buyers if a baby gift range was available when they next visited and needed a baby gift. 36 percent said that their local garden centre does stock baby gifts however they felt the range available to them is currently too small, they would like more choice. Widening the range would therefore increase basket spend of existing baby gift buyers as well enticing shoppers in who want to buy a baby gift. This would prevent prospective buyers feeling they had to shop elsewhere to view a good selection. Another 22 percent simply didn’t know what baby gifts were on offer but are interested in buying at their local garden centre. These might be people who don’t visit their local garden centre at all, however if they knew their local centre sold a wide range of baby gifts, this will bring them in, therefore creating new footfall for all departments within the centre. There will also be some existing shoppers who have no awareness of baby gifts on sale (assuming a range is available). The existing range might therefore be too small or needs to be better promoted and merchandised to maximise the sales opportunity. 10 percent said there is currently “plenty to choose from” at their local garden centre. RHS APPOINTS FRECKLEFACE AS LICENSEE FOR HOME FRAGRANCE PRODUCTS The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the appointment of familyrun fragrance business Freckleface as the RHS licensee for products in the home fragrance category. The first RHS/ Freckleface range was launched at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival on the Freckleface stand. A substantial range of Freckleface products launched under the RHS brand will include candles, reed diffusers, fragrance oils, wax melts, room sprays, gift sets and more. There are two launch ranges. One will be a classic range of fragranced products based on the four seasons which will feature packaging designs inspired by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s largest collection of botanical art – and specifically the engraver Christian Gottlieb Geissler, a renowned 18th-century copperplate engraver, painter and printmaker, specialising in natural history. There will also be a botanical, apothecary range of fresher fragrance combinations aimed at a younger market in line with RHS’s successful ongoing strategy to broaden its appeal to a wider audience. This range will feature ten fragrances, all encased in amber glass vessels to give a more contemporary vibe. Freckleface was a kitchen table business started in 2017 by mum and son duo Tara and Noah Carlile-Swift, who was just 14 at the time. With Noah’s keen entrepreneurial spirit, Tara’s business acumen and a range of handmade home fragrance products, Freckleface saw rapid growth. Now six years on, with five high street stores, over 750 stockists across the UK and over 300 products all handcrafted in the company’s Lincolnshire workshop, Freckleface is thriving in the home fragrance & bath and body market. It’s also an award-winning company: Freckleface this year won the Gift of the Year Award in the Home Fragrance category for its pick and mix soya wax melts and was crowned Lincolnshire family business of the year. www.rhs.org.uk INDUSTRY NEWS 11
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=