- The UK greeting card industry is worth over 1.7 billion annually
- The average retail price of a card last year in the UK was £1.17
- Everyday cards accounted for 70% (£1,200 million) of the value and 51% (768.1 million cards) of the volume of all cards bought last year.
- Spring Season sales were worth £188 million with a total of almost 84 million cards being sent for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. Mother’s Day was the most popular event, accounting for almost 29 million cards sent (worth collectively £67.7 million)
- 85% of all cards are bought by women!
- The UK card industry is acknowledged to be ten years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of design.
- There are approximately 800 publishers in the UK, most of which are small businesses with fewer than five employees. Out of the 400 members of the GCA over 280 are small/micro businesses.
- Charities estimate that £50m is raised for good causes through the sales of charity Christmas cards,
- Greeting cards are stocked in more types of outlet than any other product – with one in six retailers stocking greeting cards.
- No other country has such a tradition of card sending or card display in the home - the sending and receiving of cards is an important part of our culture.
- The commercial Christmas card was invented in 1846 by Sir Henry Cole, the chief organiser of the Great Exhibition, pioneer of the penny post and founder of the V&A Museum.
Obviously this is a huge market, with a lot of diversity within it. I have chosen a brief that focuses on designing Paper Product (cards, wraps, bags and other gift accessories); knowing that the greetings industry is thriving, even in the recession, is piece of mind, and gives me a very positive feeling about the brief.
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