Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) 2014 has once again boosted the thriving licensing industry, now worth an estimated £8bn in retail sales in the UK.
A total of 7,164 visitors attended this year’s show (subject to BPA Audit), consistent with the record-breaking 2013 event. This year saw an increase in overseas visitors and a 28% rise in retailers attending the show.
This year’s Retail Mentoring Programme was also the biggest yet since its launch five years ago. It attracted over 50 individual buyers from 10 of the major UK retailers, and now officially forms part of Tesco’s training programme for buyers.
Darren Brechin, BLE Event Director, commented: “We couldn’t be more thrilled with this year’s event. There was a buzz on the show floor from the minute the doors opened each morning until the show closed. Our key objective for 2014 was to deliver more qualified buyers, and we were looking to increase retail visitors by at least 10%, so to witness a 28% increase in retail attendees has surpassed all our expectations.”
Brand Licensing Europe 2015 will take place from 13 – 15 October 2015 at Olympia, London.
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