Spring Fair 2026 opens its doors this Sunday, marking an exciting new era for retail as experience takes centre stage. From 1–4 February at the NEC Birmingham, the UK’s leading retail show for Home, Gift, Fashion and Garden welcomes the industry to four days of immersive discovery, inspiration, creativity and connection, delivering more new brands, more speakers and attracting more buyers.
Pivoting from a place to source product, Spring Fair has evolved into a fully integrated retail experience that reflects how today’s buyers think, shop and curate. Bringing its 2026 theme, Retail Alchemists – Masters of the Mix, to life, the show captures the modern art of retail by exploring six core theme tracks: Transformation & Innovation, Craft & Creativity, Partnerships & Possibilities, Commerce & Community, Purpose & Planet, and Leadership & Legacy. Together, these themes redefine what modern retail looks like, from new commercial models and creative storytelling to responsible growth, meaningful collaboration and future-focused leadership – celebrating how product, experience, values and environment blend to create retail that resonates with today’s consumers.
With thousands of buyers already pre-registered, including John Lewis, Tesco, Next, Dunelm, Habitat & Argos, B&Q, Hobbycraft, Sainsbury’s, TG Jones, Card Factory, Cardzone, F Hinds, Mamas & Papas, Ryman, TJX, Disney, QVC, Waterstones, Morrisons, Blue Diamond, National Trust, British Museum, Fenwick and Ocado, alongside independent retailers, garden centres, heritage sites and charity shops, Spring Fair opens as one of the most commercially powerful retail moments of the year.
Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director, Spring & Autumn Fair says, “Spring Fair is no longer just a trade show; it’s a fully immersive retail experience designed to help buyers and brands connect, collaborate and grow – with the aim of addressing the specific challenges they have and provide the tools and insight to succeed. Alongside unparalleled product discovery, the show offers opportunities for social commerce, diversification, expert advice on licensing and partnerships, and practical guidance on building businesses that are both successful and sustainable. That impact is reflected in the numbers for 2026, with a 20% increase in pre-registered buyers, 30% growth in new brands, a 10% rise in new exhibitors, 20% more international brands, a 10% increase in small businesses taking part, plus over 100 speakers offering their insights and expertise. These figures underline Spring Fair’s role as the UK’s most dynamic retail marketplace, one that not only reflects where retail is today, but actively shapes where it’s going next and provides an environment where modern retailers can find the answers to their core challenges.”
The Retail Experience Powering Modern Buying
Spring Fair 2026 connects buyers with more than 1 million products, with 38% available exclusively at the show. From statement pieces to high-volume bestsellers, the event helps retailers curate ranges their customers will be asking for next season. Buyers are encouraged to explore every aisle, meet the people behind the brands and uncover commercially proven products across Home, Gift, Fashion, and Garden. With over 2,000 brands showcased, and buyers representing a collective purchasing power of £2.25 billion, Spring Fair is the place where sales are made, partnerships are formed and future trends take shape.
A Show Designed around Experience
Retail Alchemists – Masters of the Mix comes alive through elevated visitor touchpoints and a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere. Two late-opening bars – The Parlour Bar and The Design Bar – will host DJs and serve drinks from 4–6pm Sunday to Tuesday, encouraging buyers to make a full day of their visit.
The Buyers Retreat offers a calm space to recharge, network and access 1-2-1 mentoring clinics with Stephen Spencer Associates, while enhanced wayfinding, concierge-style support and curated feature spaces ensure visitors feel guided and looked after throughout their journey.
Five Stages Shaping the Future of Retail
Spring Fair 2026 introduces five extraordinary stages and over 100 speakers. Designed to inspire, inform, and help businesses thrive, the 2026 content programme has been elevated to new levels.
- The Hidden Forum – an intimate executive stage hosting one Power Talk per day, featuring:
- Sunday: Koreen Fader, CEO, QVC UK on live commerce and “shop-tainment”
- Monday: Theo Paphitis on leadership and building resilient retail businesses
- Tuesday: Ray Clacher, CEO, Morleys Department Stores on reinventing the department store for the modern consumer
- The Style Atelier & Parlour, hosted by Caryn Franklin MBE, delivering trend forecasting, styling masterclasses and fire-side chats with leaders in fashion retail
- Merchant’s Corner, offering practical advice, Pitch Live, and exciting developments, plus the well-known Retail Huddle event takeover on 4 February
- The Design Studio celebrates the intersection of architecture, interiors and material innovation with thought-provoking talks, showcases and keynote conversations
- The Licensing Lab, reconnecting buyers with the £369.6bn global licensing industry through showcases, talks and partnerships
Sector Highlights across the Show
Home, Living & Décor and The Summer House Edit features established names and design-led brands, complemented by the new Design at Spring Fair sector, a refined space where lighting, occasional furniture, ceramics and textiles meet trend insight and elegant networking. Gift remains at the heart of the show, with Hall 4 sold out and leading brands including Talking Tables, Sass & Belle, House of Disaster, Gift Republic, Joe Davies, Widdop & Co and Heaven Sends showcasing new collections.
Spring Fair 2026 also places the spotlight firmly on the power of licensing, as an inspiring line-up of brands and creative studios exhibit exclusively within the Licensing Lab, connecting retailers, manufacturers and licensors with the ideas, characters and collaborations shaping modern product development. Fashion at Spring Fair enters a new era, with accessories, jewellery and trend-led brands presented through immersive, monochrome styling. The Style Atelier elevates fashion buying far beyond a traditional trade show.
Glee @ Spring Fair returns for the first time in six years, positioning garden and outdoor living at the start of the buying season. With exhibitors including Mr Fothergills Seeds, Botanica International, Rago Planters and Seed Revolution, plus the GIMA Business Village it delivers timely opportunity for garden retailers. Source Home & Gift and new international pavilions connect buyers directly with global manufacturers, while the Everyday sector supports volume-driven buying with strong-margin essentials.
Partners & Experiences
Spring Fair’s evolution into an experience-led retail event is brought vividly to life through an exceptional line-up of partners, sponsors and contributing brands, each playing a key role in shaping a show that is richer, more immersive, creative, and insight-driven than ever before. From the moment visitors arrive, carefully curated environments, sensory touchpoints and live moments elevate the buying journey, reflecting how modern retail increasingly blends product, experience and connection.
Creating moments of inspiration, fun and genuine industry exchange at every turn, this year’s feature partners add energy, style and sensory impact throughout the halls. TY brings colour and nostalgia with its Sweet Shop experience in Hall 3, while hydration partner waterdrop® keeps buyers refreshed with flavour-packed energy cubes. F.Y.G sets the tone as scent partner of The Hidden Forum, complemented by striking dressed feature arches from Casa Verde linking Halls 4–8. Music and atmosphere come courtesy of the Masters of the Mix DJs, delivering sets across The Style Atelier Parlour Bar and The Design Studio Bar, alongside a curated Spring Fair playlist available to stream on Spotify here. TikTok amplifies the social commerce conversation with partner sessions and a sponsored launch party on Sunday from 4-6pm at The Design Studio, while WorldFirst hosts an invite-only roundtable on Monday, bringing senior decision-makers together to explore global trade and growth opportunities.
Design-led experiences are elevated further through partnerships with FiftyFive South, furnishing The Design Studio Stage, and Nordic Lighting UK, illuminating the Design Studio Bar. Practical navigation and show planning are supported by Event Guides, producers of the official Show Guide, Pocket Map and Little Black Book, while Advance Apparel adds a distinctive visual identity with custom sweatshirts worn by welcome and feature teams across the show.
Spring Fair’s content partners deepen the show’s role as a hub for insight, expertise and business support. From one-to-one mentoring sessions in The Buyers Retreat with Stephen Spencer + Associates and SaveTheHighStreet.org, to The Retail Huddle’s takeover of The Merchant’s Corner on Wednesday 4th and Faire’s packed programme of workshops, consultations and trend forecasts, the show offers practical guidance alongside inspiration. The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) and Houzz collaborate within Design at Spring Fair to connect designers and architects with new suppliers, peer learning and industry knowledge, while the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) provides tailored support, advice and networking for its members. Future-focused thinking is driven by Products of Change, with founder Helena Mansell-Stopher contributing across multiple sessions to challenge how products are conceived, sourced and brought to market. More content highlights include the Widdop & Co Village, hosting a daily programme of talks and trend sessions. Meanwhile, the Giftware Association Lounge offers hands-on IP, brand protection and international trade expertise, with clinics from Snap Dragon, BATF International, Hooper & Co International Consultancy, Barker Brettell and Revo Utilities, all ensuring retailers of every size can access knowledge, opportunity and community in one place.
High-profile activations include the Gift Of The Year Pavilion, presenting the products of the future from finalists across 20 categories, and the GTN Greatest Christmas Awards which celebrate the creativity and festive spirit of garden centres, and recognise excellence in Christmas displays and events. Pitch Live in partnership with co.lective welcomes up and coming businesses in a Dragon’s Den-style competition, while Small Business Sunday Village in collaboration with Theo Paphitis, showcases the rich talent from 12 start-ups. Media and industry bodies including TheIndustry.Fashion and TheIndustry.Beauty bring authoritative editorial insight to The Style Atelier, with CEO and Editor-in-Chief Lauretta Roberts spotlighting the creators and innovators shaping fashion’s next chapter.
These partners transform Spring Fair into a multi-layered retail ecosystem, one that blends inspiration with action, creativity with commercial clarity, and ideas with real-world opportunity. It is this collaborative approach that underpins Spring Fair’s step change, reflecting the realities of today’s retail landscape and ensuring the show continues to evolve in line with the needs of a dynamic, experience-driven retail market.
A Trusted Platform for Retail Success
With over 75 years of retail heritage, Spring Fair is trusted by the industry to deliver meaningful commercial opportunity. Fay Tranter, Event Director of Spring Fair says, “Spring Fair 2026 marks a defining moment for the show and for the retail industry we serve. Today’s buyers don’t think in silos, they curate across home, gift, fashion and garden, and Spring Fair has been reimagined from trade show to retail experience to reflect that reality. Beyond buying, visitors can access insight, education and networking designed to support long-term growth. Spring Fair 2026 is not just about what you buy – it’s about how you evolve, connect and succeed. From our expanded and new sectors and return of Glee, to the launch of new stages, immersive features and experience-led spaces, this year’s show is about creating meaningful connections, added value and real commercial opportunity. With thousands of buyers already registered and an exceptional line-up of brands, content and industry leaders, Spring Fair 2026 is where the future of retail truly comes to life.”
Have you got your ticket yet?
Spring Fair 2026 takes place 1–4 February at the NEC Birmingham.
Register now at www.springfair.com.