EuroShop 2026, #AskLEAP and why we are going for our own benefit, and for our clients. Part Two.
A conversation with Co Founder, Ben Holden and Client Director, Matt Hendry.
​In the first part of this conversation, Ben and Matt talked about what EuroShop really is, why LEAP is approaching it differently this year, and the value of going without a stand or a fixed agenda.
In this second part, the focus shifts to #AskLEAP – what it is, the kind of questions they’re actually looking for, and how LEAP plans to cut through the noise, challenge assumptions, and bring something genuinely useful back from the show.
You both keep mentioning being “open minded”. What does that mean in real terms?​
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Matt:
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" It means we’re not going with one pre-written story in our heads about what we want to find. It’s easy to go to EuroShop with tunnel vision. You only look for the thing you already decided you need.
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We still have priorities, of course. But we’re trying to stay open to the unexpected bits. The small stands. The weird little ideas. The thing that solves a problem you didn’t realise you had yet."
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Ben:
" Everyone has an agenda. We do too. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t want to meet people and come home with new relationships. But we’re also there to understand what the industry is doing and what we can take into our work, whether that becomes a client relationship or not. "
That’s where #AskLEAP comes in. Matt, can you explain the concept simply?​
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Matt:
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" #AskLEAP is an invite for people to use us while we’re there.
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If you’re a client and you can’t attend, you can ask us to keep something in mind as we walk the show. If you’re a retailer with a question, you can ask us to look for answers. If you’re an agency and you’re hunting for a material, a process, a supplier, or something more sustainable, you can send us that challenge and we’ll go and do the legwork.
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It’s not just about getting a neat answer back. It can be, “What did you think of this thing you saw?” or “Is this genuinely new or is it just dressed up well?” It’s also a way to meet up. People can ask where we’ll be and when, and we can actually plan time rather than aimlessly missing each other. "
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Ben:
" That’s the part that matters. It’s not us going with a stand saying, “Look at us.” It’s us saying, “Tell us what you want us to look at. "
What kind of questions do you actually want?​
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Matt:
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" Questions that sit in our world. Innovation, design, and bespoke problems.
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If someone asks us to find the newest trolley standard, that’s not us. But if someone says, “We want to rethink customer service so staff aren’t trapped behind desks, but we’ve still got loads of IT to accommodate,” then yes, that’s us.
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It’s the balance between the physical and the functional. The stuff that turns into real design decisions."
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Ben:
" Exactly. We’re not there to price EPOS systems. But if there’s technology that changes the furniture, the journey, the space, then it becomes relevant. "
You mentioned cutting through the noise. What does that look like at EuroShop?​
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Ben:
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" There’s a lot of marketing. A lot of spin. Sustainability is a big one. Greenwash exists. People make claims that don’t stand up when you ask one more question.
We’re good at getting through that. And that’s part of what #AskLEAP can be. Someone might see something and think it looks brilliant. We’re happy to go and look at it properly and give an honest view."
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Matt:
" And sometimes the most impressive stand is basically selling the same thing as the one next to it. Then you’ll find a tiny, scrappy stand with one idea on it and you’ll think, “That’s it. That’s actually useful.” I like that hunt. That’s the fun part. "
So what are you personally looking for when you’re there?​
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Matt:
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" I’m always looking for the points of difference.
A lot of what we build revolves around timber, metal, glass, plastic, lighting. Those materials are familiar. My interest is in the small shifts that change how those basics can be used. The thing that lets you do something differently while still being sensible, safe, cost-effective, and hopefully more sustainable.
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That’s the unicorn for me. Not the loudest thing in the room, but the clever thing you can actually use."
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Ben:
" For me it’s sustainability, but in a way that’s scalable and affordable. Also supply chains that are more environmentally friendly without becoming unrealistic. Those are the questions clients are asking most at the moment.
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Technology’s always on my list too. Every EuroShop since 2001 has been full of talk about integrating online and physical retail. I’ve seen plenty of screens turn up and plenty of visual noise. But, I’m still looking for the thing that genuinely changes how retail works."
Where do you actually go first at EuroShop?​
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Ben:
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" Materials halls, always. Even if it’s just a new colour range or a finish, it matters. Those catalogues end up on shelves and they genuinely get used.
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Lighting halls are also worth time. They can be mad. Mannequins too, surprisingly. Even if you’re not in fashion retail, there’s often creativity there that other sectors can learn from.
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And the Designer Village is brilliant. That’s where ideas start, and it’s where you meet some of the strongest creative agencies in the world.
Also, you have to have Currywurst for lunch, it’s Dusseldorf’s gift to humanity."​
​Matt:
" I’d probably tell a first-timer to go for the crazy first. The bright, the weird, the bits that grab your attention. It helps you understand what’s possible. Then you can get more methodical afterwards."
For people who can’t attend, what comes back from the show?​
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Matt:
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" If someone asks a specific question, it goes back to them directly. Quietly. No names thrown around.
If we see things that are interesting in a broader sense and safe to share, we’ll share them. That could be online, in conversations, or in a follow-up blog. The point is to bring something back that’s useful, not just noise. "
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Ben:
" And if anyone genuinely thinks they’ve got something worth showing us, they can reach out before the show and say, “Come and meet us.” It’s better than wandering around hoping the right thing jumps out.
Last question, who do you want to hear from?​
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Matt:
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" Existing clients, definitely. But also anyone who isn’t a client yet. Brands, retailers, emerging businesses. Agencies. Procurement teams. Suppliers of all types. People who just have a question and want a straight answer.
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If it’s relevant to innovation and creative retail, we’ll give it time."
Ben:
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" We’ll have a good go at answering what we can. We can’t promise everything. But we will take it seriously.
Also look out for us at the show we have a plan to make us standout, more on that closer to the show."
