DESTINATION RETAIL DRIVES GROWTH IN RETAIL SOLUTIONS & EXPERIENCES AT AUTUMN FAIR AND GLEE

Across home, gift, fashion and garden retail, businesses are increasingly recognising that success isn't driven by product alone. Buyers are arriving at trade shows looking not only for the next bestselling products, but also for the expertise, technology and services that will help them sell those products more effectively.

That shift is reflected in one of the fastest-growing areas across both Autumn Fair and Glee 2026. Whilst the sectors carry different names - Retail Solutions at Autumn Fair and Retail Experiences & Services at Glee - both are expanding in response to growing demand for specialist expertise, AI-powered innovation, operational support and technologies that help retailers work smarter, improve customer experiences and drive long-term profitability.

Taking place at the NEC Birmingham this September, Autumn Fair (6th - 9th September) and Glee (8th - 10th September) will welcome more than 1,250 exhibitors, showcase over 500,000 products and attract more than 20,000 retail buyers, creating Europe's largest buying event for home, gift, fashion and garden retail.

Different names. One shared ambition

Although Retail Solutions and Retail Experiences & Services have been developed for different audiences, they share the same purpose: helping retailers build stronger, more resilient businesses.

Whether serving high streets, shopping destinations or modern garden centres, today's retailers face many of the same challenges. Rising operating costs, changing customer expectations and rapid advances in technology are driving investment in smarter ways of working, with businesses increasingly looking beyond the products they sell to the systems and expertise that support commercial success.

Claire Gatenby, Co-Founder of Squashed Pixel who will be offering free Shopify Clinics during Autumn Fair to help retailers tackle real business challenges, said: “Retail has never been more connected. Customers don't distinguish between online and offline anymore; they simply expect every interaction to feel effortless. The retailers seeing the strongest growth are those investing in technology that removes friction, empowers staff and creates one consistent customer experience across every channel.”

Technology may be one of the fastest-moving areas of retail, but exhibitors across both shows agree that its role is not to replace great retailing - it's to give retailers better information, better insight and more time to focus on the customer.

The business of better retail

Far from being a single category, Retail Solutions and Retail Experiences & Services encompass almost every aspect of modern retail operations. Across both shows, visitors will discover expertise spanning AI-powered merchandising and analytics, EPOS and retail systems, ecommerce, payment technology, business banking, logistics, workforce management, visual merchandising, retail displays, store design, packaging, property consultancy, security, utilities and specialist operational services.

Whether retailers are looking to modernise their stores, improve inventory management, optimise layouts, streamline customer journeys or identify new revenue opportunities, both sectors bring together practical expertise, innovative technologies and experienced partners under one roof. They reflect a growing shift towards joined-up business solutions that combine technology, operational excellence and customer experience to help retailers build stronger, more resilient businesses.

Reflecting that breadth, Autumn Fair exhibitors include Squashed Pixel, one of the UK's leading Shopify specialists helping retailers build connected commerce businesses; Datascan, specialists in tailored EPOS and retail IT solutions; DOJO, the UK's number one payments provider aiming to boost revenue and improve staff efficiency; Aspin, whose integrated sales and ERP ecosystem supports brands and distributors; Fast Forwarding, experts in international logistics and customs consultancy; Paperspot, helping retailers maximise sales through innovative merchandising displays; Emartbuy, offering premium retail packaging and gift box solutions; and Barclays, showcasing its business banking expertise and £22 billion lending fund for UK businesses.

 

Sarah Collins, Head of SME Industries at Barclays Business Bank said: “Retailers are navigating changing customer expectations, rising costs, and rapid technological change. We're seeing growing demand for solutions that help businesses work and grow more efficiently, make better-informed decisions, and deliver seamless customer experiences at pace. Barclays is committed to providing the expertise, support and access to finance that retailers need to invest in their businesses confidence – and to grow more resilient businesses for the future.”

 

Glee's Retail Experiences & Services sector features businesses including Arrange Spaces, Chirp Protect, Christie & Co, CSY Retail Systems, Easitill, Malcolm Scott Consultants, National Business Water, PCCS UK, Planday, Pleydell Smithyman, Stagecraft Display and ElectRoad.

 

Garden retail reflects the wider trend

The evolution towards destination retail is being seen across the retail landscape, but few sectors illustrate it more clearly than garden retail.

 

Today's garden centres are no longer simply places to buy plants. Restaurants, cafés, food halls, concessions, events and leisure attractions have become increasingly important in encouraging customers to stay longer, visit more often and spend more, whilst operators continue looking for ways to maximise every square metre of retail space.

 

Andrew Burton, Director at Pleydell Smithyman said: “Customers are becoming increasingly selective about where they spend their time and money. They're looking for memorable experiences, not simply places to shop. Often the answer isn't building bigger stores - it's making existing space work smarter. Great retail isn't about adding more products, it's about having a clear vision and delivering it consistently throughout the customer experience.”

 

Chris Primett, Director at Malcolm Scott Consultants, agrees that hospitality and leisure are now central to commercial success. “Our advice to garden centres is simple: become a destination rather than a solution.”

 

Technology enabling better retail

Technology is playing an equally important role, not as a replacement for great retail, but as an enabler of it. Retailers are increasingly exploring AI-powered merchandising, forecasting and analytics alongside connected commerce, workforce planning, security and operational systems that improve productivity whilst enhancing the customer experience.

 

Alex Ledsham, Managing Director of Chirp Protect said: “Garden centres are becoming destination retail environments, with cafés, restaurants, farm shops and other concessions playing an increasingly important role in attracting visitors and encouraging them to spend longer in store. We're seeing growing demand for flexible, targeted security that allows retailers to protect the products and areas most at risk without compromising the shopping experience.”

 

New opportunities are also emerging. Glee exhibitor ElectRoad believes EV charging is becoming another retail category in its own right, helping destination retailers generate additional revenue whilst increasing customer dwell time.

 

ElectRoad’s Richard Sepping said: “Garden centres are perfectly placed to become some of the UK's most attractive charging destinations. Rather than viewing EV charging simply as an amenity, retailers should see it as another way to attract customers, increase dwell time and create an additional revenue stream.”

 

Matthew Mein, Event Director for Autumn Fair and Glee said: “Both Autumn Fair and Glee have always brought together an outstanding mix of businesses dedicated to helping retailers grow, innovate and succeed. Bringing the two shows together this September creates an even more compelling opportunity, giving visitors access to an unrivalled breadth of expertise under one roof. Whether they're looking to streamline operations, embrace new technologies, enhance the customer experience or future-proof their business, retailers will find more ideas, more inspiration and more practical solutions than ever before. It's fantastic to see both Retail Solutions and Retail Experiences & Services continuing to grow so strongly, reflecting just how important these conversations have become across the retail sector.”