From 2 to 4 September 2025, Halls 6 and 9 of the Cologne Exhibition Center will once again be transformed into an innovative marketplace for retail professionals from all around the world. The 39th International Trade Fair for Retail Promotions and Imports (IAW) brings together 280 exhibitors from more than 30 countries with thousands of trade visitors,
providing its characteristic mix of diversity, quality, and exciting ideas for the retail sector. From everyday consumer goods to seasonal highlights, purchasers will find a diverse range of products at the IAW. Whether it‘s gardening and leisure items, household goods, drugstore products, food or electronics, for many retailers this trade fair is the most important ordering platform when it comes to keeping their product ranges up to date and competitive. The IAW is the perfect opportunity for strengthening personal relationships with business associates, negotiating attractive deals on a face-to-face basis, and presenting new products on a large exhibition space.

New faces, strong brands

One of the special attractions of every IAW fair is the presentation areas for numerous first-time exhibitors, who bring a fresh selection of products to its halls. This year‘s new participants include:
Simon Handels – coffee merchants for over 30 years with a clear commitment to quality, consumer confidence and long-term business relationships.
Universal Care Trading GmbH – an internationally networked fabric wholesaler based in Cologne with a wide range of B2B products and innovative house brands.
Cadeju GmbH – a complete supplier of school essentials, ranging from high-quality school bags to on-trend licensed merchandise.
Jonas France – a major player in the French B2B import business, specializing in non-food products, clothing, household goods, drugstore items (DPH) and snacks – everything that attracts customers into stores.

With numerous other first-time exhibitors from Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, the IAW once more confirms its reputation as a link between innovation, quality, and variety.

Impetus from the digital world

An integral part of the trade fair is the 21st edition of the E-Commerce Arena, which offers a compact and practice-oriented program of events in cooperation with RESTPOSTEN.de and MiToU GmbH. Twenty-one prominent speakers will provide insights into current trends and strategies in online retailing – from marketplace optimization and international sourcing to
AI-supported marketing and brand building. On the second day of the trade fair, the zentrada Forum will take to the E-Commerce stage with Martina Schimmel presenting the topic of “Living. Acting. Thinking – How AI is reshaping our world and the retail industry.”

The program in the E-Commerce Arena then continues with Sebastian Herz from Zignify on the possibilities offered by global purchasing, and Mario Alka from tricoma AG with tips on how trade brands can become love brands. The aim of the program is to provide visitors in a compact format with practical ideas that they can directly apply to their own businesses.

Tickets for trade visitors can be booked online via the ticket shop at www.iaw-messe.de. Admission to the prestigious specialist presentations is free of charge.

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