Physical and digital editions all ready to read
The first snowdrops have been spotted, the days are getting longer and Progressive Greetings’ February 2025 edition landed a few days ago, now the digital version of the magazine has been uploaded too!
Bursting with industry news and views, retailer perspectives, cracking articles and tons of product newness, it makes for a damn good read as 2025 gets properly underway.

The news pages are crammed with industry happenings, from the GCA’s petition to safeguard the universal service obligation and Andrea Norcott becoming MD at Windles through Scribbler’s planned expansion for its kiosks to Museums & Galleries’ collab with Emily Burningham. It’s all going on! To read more click here.

With Christmas being such a crucial trading season for cardies, all fingers and toes were crossed that it was a good one… and indeed it appears to have been a cracker, thank goodness. To read the festive reports from an array of retailers, click here.

While sharing his take on Christmas trade retail columnist David Robertson and Scottish indie also draws learnings from a trip to the cinema to see the Robbie Williams biopic. Click here to find out more.

There are insights galore in the findings of the latest PG Retail Barometer, the only annual research into the health and wealth of the independent greeting card retailer.
To find out how 2024 panned out for indies, how they’re feeling about trade in the coming year, what greeting card genres really are scoring, and what product areas are primed for further expansion, click here.

Independent sales agents have always danced to their own tune and, with Wicked working its magic at the box office and new musicals hitting the high notes in theatres, PG asked a chorus line of independent sales agent Guys & Dolls to share their score of trade over the last year. Click here get in tune.

Taking an even broader perspective, Battling The Elements is a State Of The Nation piece about the sector as a whole. The ongoing uncertainty of the future of Royal Mail, a continuing decline in retail footfall and worries about incoming cost increases present some hefty headwinds for the UK greeting card industry, but thankfully the industry galleon is pretty skilled in navigation! Click here to read more.
Seeing the phrase “The world you were born into no longer exists” made Cardsharp rather philosophical and reflective about 2025. To see what our columnist has to say, click here.

This year’s Spring Fair marks its 75th anniversary, PG takes a look at the show’s history, along with memories, dreams and fears of some exhibitors. Click here to read more and, to see a cornucopia of launches all set to debut at the show, check out the extended Innovations section by clicking here.
Adding to the fun at the show, cardboard maestro N Smith is creating all manner of shops, giant cards, post boxes and even a pub for the stand it’s sharing with PG. Click here to go behind the scenes of these boxing experts.

Among the exhibitors at the show will be Glick, which is on for a mega year with its imminent move to a new home triple the size of its existing HQ, its largest-yet product launch and bolstered team. Click here to unwrap the story.

Meanwhile, there will be lots of Gin & Frolicking on the Rosie Made A Thing stand as the publisher marks its first decade. Click here to join the celebrations.
With a triple presence at Spring Fair, The Gifted Stationery Company/Hey Hugo, starts its first year as part of the Swan Mill group, which includes Ling Design, GBCC and Penny Kennedy. PG catches up with Gifted’s co-founder Nigel Parr on the past, present and future. Click here to find out more.

While the start of the year brings a whole host of newness on the product front, the What’s Hot? section, as ever, shares what ranges are bestsellers for a trio of leading cardies. Click here to discover which products have been hitting the spot for their customers.

Publishers are ever mindful of being on trend with consumers’ needs on the card front, but it’s how they translate those trends which gives such variety on the card racks. With Mocha Mousse declared as the Pantone Colour Of The Year, PG whipped up some publishers’ views on how the shade is being reflected in their designs. Click here to enjoy some Earthy Pleasures.
Staying on the trend front, following on from Part One in the last issue Hannah Curtis, of artists’ agency Creative Sparrow, reveals what she believes will be the key drivers for our aesthetic tastes in 2025. Click here to see her predictions.

Outside of design trends, relationships are at the very heart of the greeting card industry, and several publishers take this a stage further by working with their sisters. To join the Sister Act, click here.

Everyone has their own family connections, but one thing that binds us all is time. As we move deeper in to 2025, PG makes its annual deep dive into the calendar sector. Click here to touch on some of the calendar developments, here to see some of the new calendar titles, while Counting Down The Days is a look at the advent and advent cards area. Click here to open the doors on this one.
All this and more in the pages of our lovely magazine. Wouldn’t you like to hold it in your hands so you can flick through and read it wherever it takes your fancy? To subscribe now go to www.max-subscriptions.net
However, if you can’t wait, to read the whole PG February 2025 edition online you can click here.