Despite all the challenges: retail trade is investing
The World’s No. 1 Retail Trade Fair, EuroShop 2023, has drawn to a successful close in Düsseldorf after five days on 2 March 2023.
The intensive personal exchange on a global level prevailed throughout the course of EuroShop and made for an excellent mood among the 1.830 exhibitors. A total of more than 81.000 trade visitors travelled to the Rhine from all five continents.
“Especially in view of the current challenges in retail, we are delighted that EuroShop once again met its remit as the world’s leading trade fair offering guidance and orientation,” said Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, highly satisfied with the results of the trade fair and adding: “We owe our exhibitors a great compliment. With their innovative power they have once again proved a magnet for the whole industry. On the visitor side, EuroShop once again impressed with its high level of internationality and was able to record a further increase in the decision-making authority of the trade fair audience“, says Wienkamp.
Attending from 55 nations, exhibitors unanimously report extraordinarily good contacts and a clear willingness to invest on the part of visitors. The proportion of retail visitors rose once again by 9% to over 50%.
Exhibitors praised the event’s high international attendance: 68% of the EuroShop audience came from abroad. Particularly positive was the increase in visitors from Southeast Asia, Africa and North America. Altogether, trade visitors from 141 countries travelled to EuroShop 2023, including from as far afield as Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.
“EuroShop once again proved its special position as a driving force for the retail trade,” said Michael Gerling, Chairman of the EuroShop Advisory Board and CEO of the EHI Retail Institute. Summing up he said: “It again proved a source of inspiration and has impressively underlined its relevance as a leading international trade fair. After three tough years, retailers are facing important investments regarding the future topics of digitalisation, energy management and sustainability.”
EuroShop 2023 offered everything to meet today’s customer requirements: in offline retail shoppers continue to love immersing themselves in worlds of experience and to be addressed emotionally. On the other hand, they do not want to forego the convenience, speed and high degree of personalisation they enjoy while shopping online; which is why digitalisation has gained enormous momentum across nearly all segments of retail. EuroShop clearly reflected this transformation. Buzzwords such as Smart Shopping, Connected Retail, Seamless Shopping or Customer Centricity were omnipresent at the trade fair stands.
Sustainability was the common theme running through all areas of this year’s EuroShop. Exhibitors impressively demonstrated that sustainable store fittings not only contribute to climate protection, but also offer plenty of material for storytelling – from innovative, biodegradable store fitting materials to display mannequins made from raw materials garnered from ocean waste. Furthermore, the topic of energy savings was centre stage, especially in the refrigeration cabinet and store lighting segments.
EuroShop’s extensive line-up of side events comprising practice-related lectures and best-practice examples on seven stages, numerous Specials and renowned awards went down very well.
The next EuroShop will be held in Düsseldorf from 22 to 26 February 2026. For more information visit www.euroshop-tradefair.com
photos: Messe Düsseldorf/ctillmann
