May 15 saw the closing day of the inaugural edition of C-star, Shanghai’s International Trade Fair for Solutions and Trends all about Retail. On May 13-15, retail professionals from all around the world came to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) to see the latest retail technologies and trends for the Chinese market.
Being the official satellite show of EuroShop – the world’s No. 1 retail trade fair – C-star was a phenomenal success according to Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., the organizer of C-star. The trade fair was officially supported by the EHI Retail Institute, which is also the official supporter of EuroShop, C-star’s mother show.
“The number of shopping malls in China is set to double over the next years and Shanghai is the top retail spot in China, setting the benchmark for the country’s retail business. It only makes sense that we came here to start C-star,” said Hans Werner Reinhard, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and Chairman of Messe Düsseldorf China Ltd.
On a net exhibition space of 5,000 square meters, C-star featured 162 exhibitors from 23 countries. The show also saw an exceptionally high degree of internationalism, with nearly 50 percent of its exhibitors having their headquarters overseas, making it the most international retail trade fair in Eastern China. Despite being held for the first time, an astonishing number of 5,721 visitors from 59 countries and regions came to the show during the last three days, with 18 percent coming from overseas.
Michael Gerling, CEO of the EHI Retail Institute, added, “China will soon become the world’s largest retail market, so it was the right time and the right decision to start C-star now!”
Much more than a trade show, C-star also featured an extensive supporting program. On May 12, one day prior to the show, C-star’s supporting program kicked off with the C-star Retail Tour. This full-day guided tour introduced Shanghai’s most exciting shopping destinations to international retailers to give them exclusive insights into the city’s retail market.
During the first two days, the C-star Retail Conference, the highlight of the show’s supporting program, gathered industry professionals to discuss how retailers can turn their physical stores into preferred shopping destinations again, despite rising e-commerce and online shopping.
Also featured was the “Designer Village,” a special exhibition area where international renowned retail design agencies presented their latest innovations for the Chinese market to address the rising demands of Chinese customers regarding their shopping experience. C-star is the only retail show in China with a designated design area.
Retail professionals interested in shopfitting and store design also welcomed the EuroShop Retail Design Award (ERDA) Reception Dinner, which took place at the rooftop bar of the Kerry Hotel Pudong. Usually held on an annual basis in New York, the event was moved to Shanghai this year especially because of C-star. There, Tony Zhou of Hershey’s Shanghai, Jerzy Wozniak and Pawel Garus of Modelina Architekci as well as Luigi Frenquellucci and Antonio Andolfato of Replay were awarded for the best store concepts of 2015 by the EHI Retail Institute and Messe Düsseldorf.
The 2016 edition of C-star will take place on May 18-20 at SNIEC.
To register, visit c-star-expo.com
