Day Two at Autumn Fair hosted thousands of buyers from all parts of the UK combine product discovery and new supplier connections with practical insight into the issues and opportunities shaping retail; with gifting, retail crime, social commerce and live commerce among the day’s major talking points.
Claire Bevan, Head of Buying at the Natural History Museum said, “It’s been a great show. As always, it’s really useful to be able to visit so many suppliers across so many different categories, all in one place and under one roof. I’ve already found some really great new suppliers as well as catching up with existing contacts, so it’s been a really productive visit.
“In the area I buy for, I’m seeing more products that are story-led, creative and distinctive, with a real focus on working with great producers and suppliers and creating products that have a strong story behind them.”
The importance of product storytelling, retailer education and meaningful gifting came through strongly during the Gift of the Year: How to Spot Retail’s Next Big Products session, with Emily Charles, Head of Brand at Gibsons Games, and Lindsey Scott-Walker, Founder of Feather Robins Gifts, sharing their perspectives on what makes a product stand out. For Lindsey, understanding the product is fundamental to creating the customer conversations that lead to a sale, with consumers increasingly looking for gifts that have meaning and a story behind them. “Retailer education about the product is key to selling,” she said. “I like products that tell a story, and love a meaningful gift. Consumers are looking for this connection in gift giving at the moment.”
The conversation also highlighted a shift towards longevity over fleeting trends, with Emily pointing to sustainability, mindfulness, wellbeing and screen-free moments as longer-term consumer directions shaping the games and gifting category. For Lindsey, the opportunity lies in products that create an emotional response, from meaningful and heartfelt gifts to smaller tokens that deliver a moment of joy.’
Live commerce moves from screen to show floor
One of today’s most experiential activations was the Whatnot experience in The Clubhouse, giving retailers the opportunity to see live commerce in action and understand how brands are using live selling to reach new audiences and build online communities.
The day culminated in the Whatnot Takeover After Party, where visitors could try going live themselves with one-to-one support from the Whatnot team.
Matthew Mein, Event Director, Autumn Fair said,“We’re really looking forward to opening the doors to Glee tomorrow and seeing the opportunities the co-location creates for exhibitors and buyers. Retailers want their buying trips to work harder, and bringing the two shows together means they can discover even more products, suppliers and ideas in one place.
“For exhibitors, it opens conversations with buyers who may not previously have considered their category. We’ve already seen a real appetite for that cross-category opportunity, and tomorrow is when we start to see it come to life.”
The parking campaign gathers momentum
Support for Autumn Fair’s campaign calling for 90 minutes’ free parking in town and city centres continued to build on Day Two, with the Parliamentary petition passing 3,000 signatures. Alexandra Beckett of Ivy and Rose Gifts in Birminghamsaid, “If we want people to support our high streets, we have to take away the barriers that stop them coming, and one of those barriers is accessibility and parking. People are still driving, but if it’s easier and free to park out of town, that’s where they may choose to go. Making our high streets easier to access gives people more opportunity to spend time there, support local businesses and be part of the community.”
Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive of BIRA, commented, “This is such an important campaign and it addresses one of the big issues our members face. People talk about the success of retail parks, and you can see why – one of the big benefits is free parking. It’s about accessibility and footfall. It doesn’t matter how good the shop is if we don’t deliver people to the high street. The cost and availability of car parking is one of those unseen barriers. If Government is serious about revitalising high streets at a local level, car parking has got to be on the agenda.”
Support the campaign and sign the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/772686.
Tuesday’s content highlights
On the content programme tomorrow, retailers can explore digital growth with Shopify and Squashed Pixel, emerging kids’ brands at Pitch Live, the latest consumer and buying trends from Faire, and the Buying & Beyond live podcast, before finishing the day with Google’s practical online business session.
Autumn Fair takes place at NEC Birmingham from 6–9 September 2026.
Glee 2026 takes place 8–10 September 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.
All exhibitors and visitors to Autumn Fair & Glee benefit from free parking at the NEC.
Looking ahead to 2027, Autumn Fair and Glee will align their September dates, with Autumn Fair taking place from 5–8 September 2027 and Glee from 6–8 September 2027 at the NEC Birmingham.
