The July/August issue of Progressive Preschool is out now, with almost 70 pages of industry news, commentary and insight. Features include product focuses on nurery essentials and STEM toys as well as valuable feedback on the year so far, from across the preschool sector.
Read the July/August 2018 issue now.
If it’s been said once, it’s been said a hundred times; it’s tough out there at the moment. And it’s true, with established high street chains and major retailers falling from grace at an alarming rate. Many of these – Maplin, Claire’s Accessories and Poundworld – have very little (if anything!) to do with the preschool industry, but they are symptomatic of the wider problem faced by the British retail industry.
Others, such as Mothercare, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, are still standing, but are in the process of putting radical store closure plans into place in a bid to cut costs as an increasingly difficult retail landscape takes its toll. However, there is a real danger that the difficulties faced by these big name retailers are distorting the public’s perception of the state of the high street.
On the whole, retail isn’t doing too badly. It might not always feel like it, but consumers are still purchasing nursery products and the market is still growing, albeit via a number of different platforms. This simply means that both retailers and suppliers have to adapt their strategies to ensure they have a strong presence across all purchasing channels.
In the face of what could end up being a difficult year for many retailers and suppliers, it’s especially important that we also take the time out to celebrate successes of all sizes, from new product launches to high-profile award wins. We’ll be doing that later this year at the Progressive Preschool Awards 2018 (Thursday 8 November) and we hope you’ll be able to join us, as a finalist or otherwise.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this issue. In addition to all the regulars, we have also been finding out more about the latest STEM toys, the most stylish nursery furniture and have even taken a peek at the fun kids dress-up sector.
As ever, there’s plenty of other great content to keep you reading as well, with cutting-edge columnists, exclusive interviews and a fresh look at the soft toy and nursery essential sectors.
