The Detail of Retail: While Consumers Recover From Holiday Spending, Retail
Buyers Kick Off the 2010 Buying Season Amid Hope For The Future

- 1000s of Buyers Convene to Stock Their Shelves at Canada's Largest Gift Trade Show -

TORONTO , Jan. 29 /CNW/ - While consumer confidence has remained steady over the past two months, consumer expectation of the economy in the next six months has hit a new high, according to a recent consumer confidence index*. This economic optimism will no doubt be top-of-mind for the 16,500+ retail buyers from around the world who are descending this weekend on the Canadian Gift & Tableware Association (CGTA) Spring Gift Show to stock their shelves for the first half of the year. Running from Sunday, January 31st to Thursday, February 4th , the show is a vital part of retailers buying season and a bellwether for the Canadian retail market. The largest giftware trade event in Canada , the twice-yearly show brings retail buyers, manufacturers and distributors together and houses more than 1,000 exhibitors on more than one million square feet of exhibit space.

    
    What:    Spring 2010 CGTA Gift Show

    When:    Sunday, January 31st      9 am - 6 pm
             Monday, February 1st      9 am - 7 pm
             Tuesday, February 2nd     9 am - 7 pm
             Wednesday, February 3rd   9 am - 6 pm
             Thursday, February 4th    9 am - 3 pm

    Who:     More than 16,500 retail buyers and 1,000 exhibitors showcasing
             the latest products and groundbreaking retail trends.

    Where:   International Centre, 6900 Airport Road
             Congress Centre South and new North Building, 650 Dixon Road
             Media Lounge - International Centre, Hall 1

    (xx)NOTE TO EDITORS(xx)

    Exhibitors, industry experts and show organizers are available for
interview.

    Known as the birthplace of trends, the CGTA show features New Product
Galleries, showcasing brand new items to the Canadian market, and Showcase
Canada, the most comprehensive collection of Canadian designed and
manufactured products and specialty foods anywhere.

    About the CGTA
    --------------
    

The Canadian Gift and Tableware Association (CGTA) is the pulse of Canadas $10-billion giftware industry. Embodying the entrepreneurial instinct and spirit, the CGTA is a national, not-for-profit association dedicated to improving its members competitive capability and business effectiveness by enhancing local, national and global opportunities. The CGTA is comprised of over 1,400 members made up of leading Canadian giftware manufacturers, importers, exporters, distributors and wholesalers. The CGTA owns and manages the CGTA Gift Show - the largest of any gift trade show held in Canada with more than one million square feet of exhibition space. Held twice annually, the CGTA Gift Show features over 1,000 exhibitors and attracts over 16,500 retail buyers from across Canada and around the world. Further information is available at www.cgta.org. * TNS Canadian Facts, Consumer Confidence Index

For further information: Your Contact: Chantal Richard, Idea Workshop, [phone] ext. 23, [email protected]