Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is a worldwide moment to pause, reflect and act on the importance of accessibility, especially digital inclusion. It exists to show the barriers people face when accessing information and digital content, and to encourage organisations to build experiences that work for everyone. Each year, GAAD brings people together to raise awareness, share knowledge and drive meaningful change across digital and offline communications.

According to the GAAD website, there are 1 billion people worldwide with a disability. Accessibility matters because it ensures information is inclusive, usable, and available to all. Everyone has the right to access information in a way that works for them, whether that’s online, in print, or across multiple formats. When accessibility is considered from the outset, it helps support inclusion and creates clearer, more effective communications that reach wider audiences.

At APS, we’re committed to helping organisations become more accessible. We take a proactive, people‑first approach to accessibility, supporting both online and offline communications and helping organisations meet complex accessibility guidelines. With over 50 years’ combined experience, our publishing and digital experts work holistically to make information as accessible as possible across all channels. Rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all solution, we use our 5C model – Context, Conception, Content, Communication and Curation – to ask the right questions from the very beginning and ensure accessibility is built in, not bolted on.

To support companies on this journey, we’ve created an informative accessibility toolkit with useful resources designed to help teams understand where to start and how to make practical improvements. To access the toolkit, simply complete the request form below.

It includes:

• A practical PDF guide
• A short video
• A mini podcast with our Publishing Manager, Fiona McParland

This Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we’re proud to champion accessibility and help organisations talk to their audience in a way that truly works for everyone. Discover how APS can help you take the next step towards more inclusive communications by reaching out to [email protected].

Customer communications are changing rapidly. What were once static, one‑way documents are becoming dynamic, conversational experiences, and AI is accelerating that shift.

That was the focus of our recent webinar where industry experts, Kaspar Roos, Founder and CEO of Aspire CCM, Jordan Wain, Director of AI Solutions and Koen Luijten, IT Director, both APS, explored how organisations can scale AI across customer experience management (CXM) while maintaining governance, trust and control.

From documents to dialogue

Organisations are managing more customer touchpoints than ever before – often 40+ channels – each with rising expectations for speed, relevance and consistency.

At the same time, traditional communication models are under pressure. UK postal volumes have fallen by more than 80% since 2000, reflecting a clear shift away from print towards digital, real‑time engagement.

Customers now expect:

• Real‑time responses
• Personalised interactions
• Consistency across channels
• A more human‑like experience

AI has a critical role to play in meeting those expectations but only if it is applied with the right foundations in place.

AI is accelerating opportunity – and complexity

Speakers explored how AI is already being used to:

• Personalise customer experiences at scale
• Orchestrate journeys and workflows
• Recommend channels and timing
• Support operational decision‑making
• Connect data, journeys and channels into a single customer view

However, many organisations are struggling with fragmented tools, siloed workflows and inconsistent messaging. Add growing regulatory scrutiny, and it becomes clear that AI adoption without structure creates additional risk as well as opportunity.

Why governance is a strategic capability

Governance must be built into AI‑driven communications from the start, not added at the end. To scale AI safely and effectively, organisations need:

• Clean, accessible data
• Modern, integrated architecture
• Structured, reusable content
• Joined‑up operating models
• Visibility and control across the customer journey

This is particularly critical as regulation evolves. Transparency, accountability and auditability are no longer optional, and accountability always sits with the organisation, not the technology.

CXM success comes down to three things

One simple framework resonated strongly throughout the session:

CXM success = Content + Context + Control

Delivering the right content, to the right audience, at the right time, via the right channel requires more than technology alone. It demands alignment across teams, shared data standards and a clear operating model that puts the customer experience first.

Looking ahead

AI presents a huge opportunity for organisations to enhance the customer journey but only if it is applied with intent.

The brands that will truly future‑proof their CXM strategies are those that treat governance as an enabler, not a constraint, and see AI as part of a broader shift from documents to dialogue.

Through our proprietary technology, combined with our expanding and experienced AI and digital teams, we support organisations to:

• Connect siloed journeys into a single, joined-up CXM strategy
• Orchestrate communications across channels with control and consistency
• Embed governance and compliance into content creation – not just at the point of review
• Unlock the value of AI safely, at scale

If you’d like to talk about the possibilities, please get in touch at [email protected].

To receive a recording of the webinar, please fill in your details below and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.

EuroShop has always been a place to spot what’s next. But in 2026, the most important signals weren’t about spectacle or novelty, they were about infrastructure, behaviour and intent.

Our team spent time on the ground in Düsseldorf capturing what mattered beneath the surface: how brands are responding to collapsing dwell time, how experience is being re‑engineered to earn attention, how displays are becoming media channels, and why sustainability is no longer optional or cosmetic.

Read more in our EuroShop 2026 Retail Insights Report, a practical, unfiltered view of the forces shaping retail right now, and what they mean for brands designing environments for the next cycle.

Below is a snapshot of the core trends explored in the report.

AI is not a trend. It’s the infrastructure.

At EuroShop 2026, AI wasn’t confined to one hall or category. It sat underneath everything, accelerating creative production, analysing shopper behaviour, logging interactions, and turning experience into a data advantage.

What stood out wasn’t blind enthusiasm for AI, but a far more mature question: Who can help us use it responsibly, without damaging brand trust?

Retailers are looking for automation that delivers measurable impact, efficiency that genuinely improves operations, and innovation that comes with clear guardrails. In the report, we explore how this shift is widening the gap between partners who have built AI capability properly — and those still treating it as a bolt‑on.

Trend 1: You have two seconds. Maybe less.

One of the most consistent themes at EuroShop was just how dramatically dwell time has collapsed.

Across categories, brands are no longer designing for browsers, they’re designing for deciders. In some formats, the shopper now has seconds, not minutes, to understand what a product is, why it matters and how it should make them feel.

This compression has led to the Two‑Second Story Rule, a simple but unforgiving creative test that is reshaping briefs, display hierarchy and in‑store storytelling. Crucially, this isn’t being driven by instinct alone. In‑store analytics and behavioural data are now informing what earns space, what disappears and what must land instantly.

The report unpacks how brands are responding and why many current display programmes are already out of date.

Trend 2: Retail as a destination. Experience is no longer optional.

The transactional store isn’t dead, but wherever a brand has something worth visiting for, experience is now the differentiator.

From category‑defining flagships to immersive beauty and wellness environments, the strongest examples at EuroShop showed that physical retail must earn its place in a world where anything can be bought anywhere.

What’s changed underneath is just as important: experience is no longer only about brand equity. It has become a data collection mechanism. Stores that give people a reason to stay longer capture behavioural signals that transactional environments never will.

In the report, we look at why destination retail is creating both emotional connection and information advantage, and why brands that answer one key question clearly are pulling ahead.

Trend 3: The display is now a media channel.

Digital integration at EuroShop wasn’t about adding screens for effect. The work that stood out made displays smarter without making them noisier, and crucially, they were collecting data while they ran.

From fixtures that log interaction, to screens that know when someone stops, the most effective displays treated technology as a working component, not decoration. In this model, the display isn’t just a moment, it’s a channel, with purpose, measurement and feedback built in.

Trend 4: Sustainability is now load‑bearing.

At EuroShop 2026, sustainability was no longer presented as a compliance exercise or a marketing story. It was built directly into design, materials and production logic.

What stood out was how often sustainability and commercial performance were aligned. Lower‑energy screens weren’t framed as greener; they were framed as better ROI. Circular materials weren’t alternatives; they were superior systems.

As retailer requirements tighten, brands that own their material and data decisions will be better positioned than those relying on third‑party specifications. The report looks at why sustainability is becoming structurally non‑negotiable and what brands need to be thinking about now for future rollouts.

If these themes resonate, the full report explores each trend in more depth. And if you’re already thinking about how this plays out in your own retail environments, get in touch with the team to see how we’re already helping brands navigate these shifts or take a look at our services overview for more information.

We recently hosted an engaging webinar in partnership with the Procurement Foundry, ‘Unlocking the Future of Marketing Print’, bringing together procurement and marketing professionals to explore how to optimise print management processes and maximise the impact of print campaigns. Hosted by Mike Cadieux, Founder and CEO of the Procurement Foundry, and featuring an expert panel including perspectives from a client, a consultant, and a solution provider, the session delivered a 360° view of the evolving print landscape. Our speakers included:

• Tony Massey, Executive Director, APS Group
• Heather Padgett, Senior Commercial Marketing Manager, HOYA Vision Care North America
• Fre Rammeloo, CEO, Dexter Global Business Solutions Inc.

Print Media: Far from obsolete

The discussion kicked off with a look at what print media means today and the consensus was anything tangible that you can print on to display a brand message. Far from dying out, print is experiencing a renaissance and actually becoming a more unique communication method against its digital counterpart.

While digital dominates the marketing mix, print offers something tactile and immersive that can’t always be replicated online. From packaging that can’t be digitised to direct mail making a comeback, brands are rediscovering print’s ability to create meaningful, lasting impressions – especially as digital fatigue sets in among consumers.

Sustainability: More than a buzzword

It’s clear there is a growing demand for sustainability within the printing industry with it becoming more of a priority than just a ‘nice to have’. Becoming more aware and increasingly critical, both consumers and employees are driving change and pushing brands to adopt greener and more ethical practices with carbon offsetting and sustainability initiatives becoming more popular as solutions.

Attendees heard how the industry is innovating through recyclable materials, vegetable inks and on-demand printing to minimise waste. It was also highlighted that digital isn’t carbon-neutral either, and benchmarking environmental impacts across both channels is vital to help develop future strategy.

A blended approach for maximum impact

Rather than choosing between print and digital, speakers emphasised the power of using both mediums in partnership to encourage the consumers path to purchase. Strategies such as personalised print campaigns supported by digital tracking, QR codes, and A/B testing were showcased as ways to measure ROI and optimise the media mix. Asking consumers their communication preferences and innovating with customised communications were flagged as essential for ensuring print retains its share of voice.

Technology transforming print communications

The webinar explored how technology and AI are reshaping the print industry. From printed electronics and on-demand multilingual collateral to data-driven personalisation, the possibilities are expanding rapidly. AI’s ability to analyse data, speed up workflows, and generate creative ideas were all highlighted, it can even offer intelligence to predict how impactful a piece of creative or a campaign is going to be and then suggest improvements as a result.

Most brands are curious and dipping their toe into AI with some appearing more embracing whilst others more cautious, although this can sometimes be sector dependent. However, everyone agreed that human oversight remains critical to keep campaigns authentic and emotionally resonant.

So, what is a good corporate sourcing strategy?

The final topic focused on building a strong corporate sourcing strategy for print. Collaboration between procurement, marketing, and strategic partners emerged as key. Attendees were encouraged to engage printing partners early, consider innovation and sustainability alongside cost, and develop positive cross-departmental relationships to ensure print delivers value across the business. Working together with experts and stakeholders, both internally and externally, can provide deeper knowledge and understanding and better outcomes for all.

This webinar was packed with insights, expert perspectives and practical strategies for procurement and marketing professionals alike. To receive the full recording of the webinar, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.

Print is APS’s heritage, it’s where we began, talk to us today: [email protected].