Feb 2016

MARCA continues to grow with a record edition in 2016. 8,465 visitors (+22.9%), 555 exhibitors (+15.4%), 21leading grocery retail chains

MARCA continues to grow with a record edition in 2016. 8,465 visitors (+22.9%), 555 exhibitors (+15.4%), 21leading grocery retail chains

Marca 2016, the twelfth edition of the international exhibition and fair for private labels that took place in Bologna in recent days, has set new records. The event, organized by BolognaFiere in collaboration with the Association for Modern Distribution (ADM), underlined its status as the second largest event of its kind in Europe and one of the leading events in the world.

The recent edition set new records with 8,465 professional visitors (certified data provided by ISF Cert ISO 25639), an increase of +22.9% compared with the 2015 edition. This significant increase was accompanied by a rise in the number of leading grocery retail groups participating (21 compared with 17 last year) and copacking companies (555 in total, +15.2%) and an increase in the exhibition space of 12.6%, which this year was spread across three pavilions. Also important were the results of the digital activities: the official Marca 2016 website registered a 34% increase in single visitors (30,000) and a 30% increase in pages visited (310 thousand). Particularly lively was the activity on Twitter: the peak occurred on the 13th January on the first day of the event as the hashtag #marca2016 rose to fourth place in the list of trending topics.

 

There was also notable success for the opening Conference, organized by ADM on the theme “Private Labels and sustainability”. The conference also included the presentation of the “12th Report Marca/ BolognaFiere on the evolution of private label products” based on data from IRI and  analysed by Guido Cristini, Professor of Marketing at the University of Parma and coordinator of the Marca Observatory on Private Labels. According to the Report, in 2015 the Italian families that purchased private label products saved 1.8 billion euros in the mass packaged consumption sector alone.

An increasing number of consumers now perceive private labels as genuine brands with their own values, which offer a good quality/price ratio (this factor alone is a key motivation for 74% of consumers) and low cost (important for 72% of shoppers): these are not the only attractions for consumers, however, these include: quality (68%), safety and certification (64%), variety (55%), tradition (55%), functionality (52%), ethics (51%), innovation (49%) and sustainability (49%).

 

“This edition of Marca concluded with a significant success that offers promising signs for the growth of business in this market”, said Duccio Campagnoli, President of BolognaFiere. “ A positive result that highlights the importance of the event’s formula that places a high value on the meetings between small and medium-sized firms and the leading chains in grocery retail. We must, therefore, continue in this direction and continue to grow. We hope, and we are sure, that the 2017 edition will see a further increase in the number of copacking companies involved, in particular  those from the organic sector and an increase in the number of attending buyers and international operators”.

 

“Marca is an event that is becoming increasingly important, because it offers opportunities for development for all copackers and it performs a unique social role,” underlined Francesco Pugliese, President of ADM. “The success of this edition of the event is evidence that where there is an opportunity for development for businesses and the capacity to satisfy the requirements of consumers a virtuous circle can be established that has the potential to produce great results”.

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