Growth is good news - The Greeting Card Association

GCAannualreport&agm
Growth is good news
The annual GCA report shows greetings card industry is a major
British success story with total value of more than £1.6billion.
C
ARD sales across the UK have
increased in value to around
£1.6billion according to the Greeting
Card Association’s Annual Market
Report which reveals a 7.77 per cent increase
in the value of single card sales to almost
£1.4bn.
In his report preface, new GCA President Ged Mace said their
“considered estimate of the Christmas boxed/pack card market
is £200million at retail and 900million cards in volume, therefore
arriving at a total market value of £1.6bn at retail for 2014”.
Ged added: “This latest Market Report shows that the UK
greetings card market continues to be a major British success
story with a value of over £1.6bn at retail.
”The UK greetings card market is creative, vibrant, global,
relevant and unique. Ofcom’s recent Communications Market
Report has confirmed that greetings cards remain the preferred
choice of the British public when it comes to expressing personal
sentiment.
“A hand-written message inside a real card carries far more
significance and is regarded more highly by the recipient than an
email or text could ever be.
”With the increase in GCA publisher members reporting sales
figures based on Epos data, the figures are a true reflection of the
market.
”As a nation, the UK public purchased a staggering 879
million single cards last year – the figures highlight the importance
people place on sending Christmas cards as a key way of
remembering friends at that time of year, with retail sales of single
Christmas cards accounting for over £174m for the year 2014.
“This represents an increase of 13 per cent on the previous
year. Figures from 2012 onwards show the UK market has
emerged from recession and is experiencing a sustained growth
in sales across all occasions.
“This upward trend signals an optimistic future for greetings
cards which, of course, is great news for retailers, publishers,
suppliers and investors in our industry.”
The 2015 report, commissioned by the GCA to provide
reliable figures for the industry based on members’ UK
sales, covers January to December 2014 compared with
2013, and this year also includes data from 2011, to show
year-on-year trends.
The total value of single cards sold in the UK in 2014 stood at
£1.39bn with 878.8 million single cards sold with value up 7.77 per
send while volume is down 6.1 per cent compared with 2013.
Everyday card sales account for 76 per cent of total sales,
with an average retail price (ARP) of £1.55 compared to £1.44
in 2013. The overall value of Everyday card sales stood at
£1.057bn, an increase of £34.6m on 2013.
Christmas single cards increased by £44m to £174.6m,
13 per cent of total value sales, at £1.55 ARP compared to
£1.44 in 2013.
The report does not cover online print-on-demand card sales
or Christmas cards sold in boxes or packs. It is managed by
independent research body Ebiquity and has been sent to all
GCA members and is available for non-members to buy.
The report preface states: “The results of this survey
concur with both UK Greetings’ and Hallmark’s – the two
biggest publishers – own assessments of the size of the
market. While all three sources have slightly different results,
the overall picture is reasonably consistent with a combination
of UKG and Hallmark views.”
T: 020 7619 0396
www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk
Clintons CEO leads AGM’s
inspiring speakers
A
NEW president, fantastic views, the annual
market report and inspiring and interesting
speakers were the attractions for the biggest
turnout yet at the Greeting Card Association AGM.
dbye –
and goo le with
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speake
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past pre
outgoing
GCA President Chris
Clintons CEO Dominique Schurman was the star attraction on September 30
Houfe, of the Great British Card Company, to
backed up by Wrendale Designs’ Hannah Dale, while Sunday Assembly founder
l Star turns – new
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The Art File’s Ged Mace, and the confirmation of the officers and council
and stand-up Sanderson Jones provided a light-hearted celebration of life and the
president Ged Ma
with Dominique
members.
business of spreading love, happiness and positivity.
Schurman
Ged’s first speech as President saw him thank Chris for his work,
Dominique started by explaining how her life has been steeped in the greetings
particularly helping establish Festive Friday and Thinking Of You Week, and he
industry, with her parents setting up the Marcel Schurman Company importing cards
presented an overview of the 2014 Market Report.
as wholesalers, then opening the original Papyrus store in 1973.
In his vision for the future he started by clearing up at comment made at last year’s AGM:
Following a look at why people send cards, illustrated with family and personal history
“Someone suggested we only have 10 years left as an industry – I completely disagree
and anecdotes, Dominique compared the North American and UK markets noting that over
with this statement. Looking around this room, I see talent, enthusiasm, experience and
here the industry is growing at three per cent, against one per cent in the US.
confidence and I know we have an incredible future because it’s up to us.”
With 60m people in the UK the market is worth £1.4billion ($2.2bn) while the £3.9bn
Self-confessed nerd Hannah captivated the audience with her story of rising from mum
($6bn) US market is shared across 330m people and she said: “The UK is the highest per
and farmer’s wife to running a 13-employee, £2m turnover card and gift business inside
capita greeting card market in the world with 39 cards per year per person being exchanged.
three years – with a background of earning a double first in animal behaviour and vertebrate
This is a wonderful fact.
evolution at Cambridge, followed by a master’s degree at Oxford, and five years as an
“The markets in total represent over $8bn (£5.3bn) in retail sales – truly a staggering number that
investment banker looking after £500m portfolios.
amplifies the fact that people love to connect with people in meaningful, lasting and personal ways.”
The full AGM report and speeches from Dominique, Ged and Hannah can be read on
More than 160 publisher and associate members made the trip to Altitude 360 at the
www.greetingstoday.co.uk and photos are available on our Facebook page
top of the Millbank Tower. The audience first had the serious business of the handover from
32 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
www.facebook.com/greetingstodaymag @greetingstoday