"Nowhere else is retail able to experience such a wide range of innovations in direct comparison"

EuroShop 2014 is the largest in its history. The world's largest capital goods exhibition for the retail and its partners this year again offers an ideal opportunity to learn about the current trends and issues in the industry and to experience retail impressions personally. Elke Moebius, director EuroShop at Messe Düsseldorf, explains, which highlights await visitors at EuroShop this year.

Mrs Moebius, EuroShop 2014 is now just around the corner. What should visitors definitely not miss at the trade fair?

Trade show visitors should definitely not miss the unique opportunity to experience retail solutions by suppliers from all over the world live and hands-on. Nowhere else is retail able to experience such a wide range of developments, solutions and innovations in direct international comparison and discuss them with experts like they can at the EuroShop in Düsseldorf. With 2,200 exhibitors covering more than 115,000 m² actual exhibition space, EuroShop 2014 is larger, more multifaceted and more creative than ever before. Each of the four segments offers its own highlights of course.

My personal tip to check out in the EuroConcept segment is the Lighting Designers' Zone. It celebrates its premiere in 2014, but is already completely booked. I am anxious to see the creativity of the independent lighting planners and lighting designers that will showcase their products in this special zone. They are not tied to a manufacturer, product or brand and are able to operate independently and thus create very different visions in which they incorporate product ideas from all around the world.

Online retail is growing; brick-and-mortar businesses reduce their spaces. So what’s next for brick-and-mortar stores? Will EuroShop, the world’s number one trade fair for retail investments, have any answers?

Yes, and in more ways than one. On the one hand, mobile solutions, e-commerce and multi-channel retailing are going to make up a large part within the EuroCIS. With more and more choices, tomorrow’s customer expects to be free to choose the purchase channel. This means that integration and linking of different channels, that is to say the brick-and-mortar, online and mobile businesses, will become one of the biggest challenges for many retailers in the coming years.

This subject is raised by numerous EuroCIS exhibitors at their booths as well as in the multi-channel forum that is going to take place at the EuroShop for the first time ever. Organized by the E-Commerce Center for Retail Research in Cologne, retail strategies of the future and best practice examples from the multi-channel retail area are being introduced.

That said, EuroShop 2014 also responds to the changes in retail in its EuroConcept segment. Due to increasing online retail, the consumer needs additional incentives to walk into a store and also shop there. This is why retail staging is becoming more and more important in many industry sectors. This will also become apparent in the latest shopfitting and architectural solutions presented at the EuroShop 2014. Store lighting for instance increasingly discovers the basic design elements of theater and opera stages for the world of sales. The range of products at the EuroShop will be a valuable source of inspiration for many companies on their way to a successful future.

Aside from the large exhibition space where visitors can experience the latest industry innovations, EuroShop 2014 once again provides an informative supporting program with expert forums and conferences. What topics can visitors expect there this year?

The Architecture & Design Forum centers on trends and developments in store design, lighting, shopping center and trade show architecture. The ECO Forum addresses the topic of sustainability, whereas the EuroCIS Forum is an established attraction in the retail technology area with current case studies, innovations and trends.

All forums can be used by EuroShop visitors free of charge without a prior reservation. A list of the individual lecture programs is available on our EuroShop Portal.

The renowned Retail Design Conference is a true highlight of the supporting program. First-rate architects and experts from world-renowned retailers showcase trends, projects and visions centering on retail design on February 17. This year’s keynote speaker is Lidewij Edelkoort, one of the most influential trend researchers in the world.

Traditionally, EuroShop devotes special zones for particular industry sectors. What interesting special areas will there be in 2014?

It will include the premiere of the already mentioned Lighting Designers Zone as well as the Designer Village, which celebrates its fourth show at the EuroShop and has established itself as an ideal presentation forum for architecture firms and design studios with a retail focus. In 2014, it presents itself in never before seen size and quality and builds a representative eye catcher right in the middle of Hall 12. European and global POPAI member companies jointly demonstrate the overall scope of POP Marketing in the POPAI Village.

I also want to highlight the "re.lab – retail future lab" Special. The VMM (European Visual Marketing Merchandising Association) and the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf present the new degree program in retail design for the first time in this special zone in Hall 4. Visionary concepts, design studies, drafts and experiments, complemented by interesting lectures will provide topics to talk about in the re.lab.