With the UK’s nursery industry eagerly anticipating the return of Harrogate International Nursery Fair in October, and numerous major brands already signed up for the UK’s only baby trade show; the Baby Products Association is excited to announce the launch of its industry show awards – the Baby and Nursery Trade Awards (BANTAs) sponsored again by Nursery Today magazine.

The BANTAs have always been the highlight of the show, and retailers and buyers attending look out for the products which the judges (who are all industry experts) have deemed to be the best in the show. Products are judged on several criteria which the judges believe make them attractive to consumers, including safety, functionality, desirability, and value for money.

Julie Milne, membership & technical support manager for the Association explains: “The BANTAs are very different from consumer awards, because they take into account specific elements of a product that the judges believe will make them retail effectively – as well as being safe and desirable to the consumer. For example, a fabulous new pushchair with an RRP three times higher than similar products, might well win a consumer award for outstanding features, but the BANTA judges might consider it less marketable for retailers due to the prohibitive price point. It is because of this, that colleagues in the industry place the BANTAs with such high esteem.”