Germany, Retail in a Great Mood to Invest! EuroShop 2014 exceeds Optimistic Expectations

More than 109,000 trade visitors attended the world’s No.1 trade fair for retail and its partners in Düsseldorf –110 nations represented

Retail companies and their partners came to their leading global event, EuroShop to Düsseldorf with optimism. Retailers’ currently high propensity to invest gave rise to justified hopes for a positive outcome of the trade fair. And people’s high expectations for EuroShop 2014 were actually far surpassed over the five days of the trade fair. From the first day of the event an outstanding atmosphere prevailed thanks to many new leads and an unexpectedly high number of business deals closed.

Rejoicing at the excellent response, Hans Werner Reinhard, Deputy Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, said: “All previous records of 2011 were broken! We are particularly delighted with the increasingly international flair and decision-making competence of our trade visitors.”

Two thirds of EuroShop visitors travelled to Düsseldorf from abroad with significantly higher numbers from overseas – both from North, Central and South America as well as from the entire Asian region. Delegations of large retail chains from such countries as Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the USA and China were welcomed at EuroShop.

A total of 109,000 visitors from 110 countries were represented. In terms of European countries, more trade visitors from the Eastern countries such as the Baltic region and the Russian Federation were represented in Düsseldorf. 73% of all EuroShop visitors were executives, two thirds of all visitors stated they were involved in their companies’ decision–making processes.

With its size and diversity EuroShop 2014 provided a comprehensive overview of all important trends in the four segments EuroConcept – Shop Fitting, Architecture & Store Design, Lighting, Refrigeration Furniture and Cooling Systems; EuroSales – Visual Marketing and Merchandising, POS-Marketing; EuroCIS – Retail Technology; EuroExpo – Exhibition Stand Construction, Design and Event. The 2,226 exhibitors from 57 countries included the market leaders from all these segments as well as young enterprises from growth markets.

Reinhard sums up: “The trade fair days have confirmed: EuroShop is and will remain the most important meeting point for the retail world. And its importance goes far beyond this: “Operators of exhibition centres from countries like Brazil, Japan and China travelled to EuroShop in Düsseldorf with dozens of stand construction entrepreneurs from their countries. Furthermore, we were especially able to welcome many architects from both home and abroad this year.”

Two aspects, above all others, were centre stage at EuroShop 2014: the staging and emotionalisation of the shopping experience through spectacular shop fittings, innovative lighting concepts, creative design ideas and extraordinary materials that bricks-and-mortar retail can use to stand its ground versus clicks-and-mortar shopping. In addition to this, the multi-channel theme – i.e. integrating and linking the various different channels like the offline, web and mobile businesses with latest technologies – was omnipresent at EuroShop. Beyond this, energy-efficient lighting systems as well as energy-enhanced refrigeration systems and furniture were in focus for food retailers.

Michael Gerling, CEO of EHI Retail Institut and Chairman of the EuroShop Exhibitors’ Advisory Council, said he was very satisfied with the success of EuroShop 2014: “EuroShop 2014 has offered everything in terms of the creative and technical solutions needed to shape up retail for the future.”
EuroShop clearly reflects the very great willingness amongst retailers to invest, said Gerling and added: “Total investment of retailers in the extension, rebuilding and new construction of their outfits amounted to EUR 6.8 billion in 2013 – a record level. In the fitting of new stores alone retail companies invested EUR 1.75 billion last year and, hence, 25% more than in 2010.”At EuroShop over 40% of all visitors stated they would be implementing concrete investment projects in the coming two years. They said they were using EuroShop not only to learn about innovations but specifically also to selectively search for new suppliers and business partners.

Meeting with an extraordinarily good response were the practice-driven forums at EuroShop. In brief lectures international expert speakers covered current issues from the areas of architecture and design, IT, multi-channel, sustainability and point of sale marketing.

The next EuroShop will be held from 5 to 9 March 2017; as early as next year EuroCIS will be staged again from 24 to 26 February 2015. 

Release by EuroShop