Ideas for the POS

Spoga, the trade fair for sport, camping and outdoor lifestyle, will be open for business in Cologne from 2 to 4 September. The organisers expect a total of 1 320 companies from 48 countries to occupy Halls 1 to 5 plus 10 and 11. The number of international participants is remarkably high at 1 070. This total includes 300 firms from China alone, which will again be displaying their products at "Gardening Asia" in the Rheinparkhalle. Italy is providing the largest contingent from Europe (97), followed by the Netherlands (93).
Versatile support programme
This year, apart from the great number of innovative products presented by the 1 320 exhibiting companies, visitors can also expect a support programme that puts the spotlight on new ideas for the point-of-sale.At the Center of Excellence there will be a "Garden and Light" workshop to highlight and explain aspects of marketing through the specific use of natural and artificial light. "Discount or lifestyle - marketing concepts in the garden furniture trade" is the topic at Spoga-Talk on the Monday evening. Also being planned is a special display to demonstrate sales aids for the POS, designed to provide both visitors and exhibitors with fresh inspiration for marketing the great number of new products that will be on view at the fair.Particularly successful new launches will again be eligible for awards at the "Garden City" and "Grilling & Barbecue" innovation forums. What is more, the special "cologne floral" show will again attract attention to the world of plants and flowers.
Dominance of furniture
The suppliers of furniture are this year again providing the largest product grouping. About 580 companies will be presenting their new lines in the "Outdoor living" section in Halls 1 to 3 and 11. This means that Cologne is once more the world's number one in the garden furniture category.The Center of Excellence in Hall 2 represents a trend in garden furniture that is set to continue this year once more: outdoor living equates with lifestyle in the garden. Here 52 companies are showing the different facets of the current garden furniture fashions which highlight innovation, quality and design, and setting the trends for the entire market segment in the process. Garden ornamentation and lifestyle products, wooden chalets and accessories, plant aids and related products - around 300 long-standing Gafa exhibitors are determined to continue to come to Cologne every year. These suppliers come mainly from the…