Organisers of PATS Sandown have revealed the show is 83% full of exhibitors with still over four months to go before opening day on March 19.

Visiting pet retailers will benefit not only from a huge gathering of suppliers but also free show entry, free parking, free catalogue, free programme of seminars and dog grooming demonstrations and many valuable special offers created solely for visitors.

PATS Sandown originally took place in a single hall – the Surrey Hall – but for the third year running the show’s popularity dictates the need for it to fill both Surrey and Esher Halls.

Exhibitors are giving the PATS team very positive feedback about their anticipation for PATS Sandown, and here Pet Trade Xtra reports on some of the things they've been saying.



Steve Brown (pictured above, left), Managing Director of Pedigree Wholesale, one of the companies to have exhibited at every PATS since the first show in 2009, makes his company’s position extremely clear.

“PATS is a must attend event. As the UK’s largest pet trade show it gives us the opportunity to showcase our full product and service offering to both existing and potential new customers. As well as generating leads the exhibition is a great way of presenting new product launches and demonstrating merchandising solutions. The quality and number of visitors to PATS gives us further confidence in our decision to book for the fifth year running”.

Collarways has exhibited in the Esher Hall from the first year it became part of PATS and director Gabriela Lerner explains why the company has taken an even larger stand in Sandown 2013.

“We’ve moved to a prime site by the stairs. Quite honestly, any position within PATS is as good as anywhere else; the trade really must be there. Because of PATS’ popularity, we know people will come to find us wherever we are.”

Richard Hulme of Vitakraft Burton Dene says: “The main reason we have booked Sandown is that it gives the UK pet trade the opportunity to see, first hand, and in one place, all the new product launches that were first aired at Interzoo. We understand that the majority of the trade are not able to get out to Nuremburg every two years and even our regular customers don’t get too many opportunities to see the full ranges on show all together. It can be quite an eye-opener to see all of a supplier’s products on one stand.

"I think we, and most other suppliers, just want to see the trade come out and support their show. Just as a retailer needs to put product on show for the consumers, so the suppliers want to put their products on show for the retailers, and the retailers need to come and see these products. Whichever route pet retailers use for sourcing new products there can be no substitute for seeing, touching and even, sometimes, tasting!”

Helen Booth of Feelwell’s points out the versatility and potential for companies of all sizes to exhibit at PATS.

“PATS is always a successful event for us. As a small business it gives us the opportunity to present our products to whole of the industry and get essential feedback from our customers to help us further develop our range.”

Kay Wright of Lucky Pet (Eurostitch) looks forward to PATS as a new product launch opportunity in its own right.

“Lucky Pet will be exhibiting at Sandown 2013 again as this pet show is a great platform to launch new products and designs, meet both new and existing customers and fly the flag for British Made products. We have found that both PATS shows have grown year on year both with visitor numbers and orders taken. We look forward to another great show next year – keep it up PATS!”

The PATS website can be found at www.patshow.co.uk and the PATS hotline is 01892 862848. Companies wishing to exhibit should call Annie Dyke on the same number.