The Retail Technology Show runs every April at ExCeL London and is free to attend for retailers, consumer brands and hospitality organisations. That’s why the floor fills with the people who actually buy retail tech. More than 15,000 visitors attend, and 81% of 2025’s audience were C-level, senior managers or heads of function, from retailers including Tesco, Boots, M&S, Next and John Lewis.
With 450+ exhibitors, most of them selling software, hardware or services into the same buyers, standing out is the whole job. Visitors come to see what works, test it and shortlist suppliers for projects that will run across hundreds of stores.
Your stand is a live demo of what you sell, not a backdrop. Both shell scheme and space only plots are available, from small presences to large feature builds. Planning a space only stand? Working with exhibition stand contractors who understand both retail design and ExCeL stops being optional.
This audience runs shop floors for a living. They know what a good sightline looks like, where a queue forms and how long someone will stand still before walking off. Walk onto your stand and they’ll judge it the way they judge one of their own stores, in seconds and without saying so.
The stands that work here feel like a well-run store. A clear way in, one hero demo you can see from the aisle, and room to try it without an audience. Every screen has a reason to be there, and nothing looks like it was added the night before.
We design and build exhibition stands for Retail Technology Show, from bespoke stand design to shell scheme and space only packages. We’ve built at Retail Technology Show before, and we know what this floor needs. Two days, 450+ tech suppliers and senior retail buyers who judge a stand the way they judge a store, and they do it in seconds. If the demo isn’t visible from the aisle, or it freezes when someone tries it, the conversation is over.
So we build around the demo first. We can build a working store set, with shelving, shelf-edge screens, EPOS counters and self-checkouts, so your tech is seen doing its job, drawing on our retail interiors work. The demo sits where it’s seen from the aisle, with a store-like flow into the stand. Wired connectivity and spare power are planned from day one, with a quiet meeting room for the pre-booked meetings senior buyers expect and storage for kit and literature. Then we review what worked, so next April’s stand does even better.
We don’t build stands. We build the story your brand tells on the show floor. Every material, layout and lighting choice serves the narrative.
Heat mapping and visitor tracking available on request, plus a post-show review on every project. We prove what worked, not just what looked good.
LITE, READY and CUSTOM. Three clear ways to exhibit, three clear price points. You always know exactly what you’re getting, before you commit.
Your win is our win. We review the results together, and we’re genuinely invested in your next show being even better than the last.
Designed, made and installed by one in-house team in Lincolnshire. You’ll see 3D visuals before anything is built, and one project manager runs your stand from brief to debrief.
Everything you need to look the part, sorted.
Branded, professional, and ready to go.
The smart entry point.
from
£2,995
The clever way to exhibit.
A reusable backbone with Rocket-X craft on top, and it gets cheaper every show.
from
£8,995
Your story, built from scratch by the people who tell it best.
No limits, no compromises.
The full Rocket-X.
custom
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ExCeL runs a tight operation, and most of what your stand needs, from power and water to internet and hanging signs, is ordered through the venue in advance. We handle the logistics and the orders. Here’s what’s worth knowing for your stand and your team.
ExCeL supplies internet in-house. For a retail tech demo, a wired line is essential, not an extra. We order it early and test it before doors open.
Standard stand power switches off overnight. Fridges, servers and anything that has to stay on need a separate 24-hour supply, ordered in advance. We spec it with your stand.
A sign above your stand is the easiest way to be spotted across a busy hall. ExCeL’s own team rigs it and it needs ordering early, so we can design it in from the start.
Power, water, internet and rigging all come through ExCeL, and late orders usually cost more. We spec everything with your stand and order it well before the deadlines.
Literature, giveaways and your team’s bags need somewhere to go. We can build storage into the stand, so the front stays open and uncluttered all day.
Parking is paid once the show opens. Custom House (Elizabeth line and DLR) is right by the entrance, so it’s the easiest way in for your team.
Two days, 450+ exhibitors and a floor full of senior retailers who’ve seen every demo before. Here’s how to make the most of it, from first plan to next year’s booking.
“Retailers” isn’t a brief. Decide whether you’re building for the CIO, the head of eCommerce or loss prevention, and design every wall for that one person.
Retail tech sells when people can try it. Put a working demo where it’s visible from the aisle and design the space around it, not the other way round.
Your visitors will walk your stand the way they walk a shop. Give it a clear way in, one focal point and somewhere to stop without blocking the aisle.
A demo that freezes on show day costs more than the stand. Wired internet, spare power and a backup plan should be in the brief from day one.
With 81% of visitors in senior roles, diaries fill up early. Pre-book meetings and give them a quiet corner, so the best conversations don’t happen standing in the aisle.
Many shows sell next year’s space before this one ends. Rebook, tell us your plot, and we can start on next year’s stand straight away. When we debrief the show, we’ll know what worked this time, so we can make your next stand work harder and give you better return on investment.
We build exhibitions to work harder over time. By reusing and refining crafted elements across multiple shows, we reduce waste, retain what works, and make every next build more efficient than the last. Show one makes an impact. Show two builds on it. That’s how exhibiting should work.
We build with reuse in mind from the start. That means fewer one-use builds, less waste, and exhibition stands designed to work harder over time. We use FSC- and PEFC-certified timber wherever possible and make smarter material choices at every stage. Because sustainability should be built in, not added on.
Got more questions? Check out our FAQs page or just get in touch. We’re always ready to help.
Tell us about your plot. We’ll show you what being noticed looks like.
This one's for you.
This one's for you.