The Creative Retail Awards are much more than a mere accolade; they represent a pinnacle of achievement in the retail industry. Garnering a nomination or winning one of these awards is a testament to innovation, excellence, and leadership.
Please provide your contact information to enable us to keep you informed about your submission and the event details.
Provide a submission of up to 500 words through our easy-to-navigate online form, providing key details.
You are encouraged to upload supporting materials such as images, videos, PDFs, and social media posts.
1. Eligibility – Entries must have been installed or completed between 1 January 2025 – 1 January 2026.
2. Read the category criteria carefully and refer back to this in your answer.
3. Keep to the word count (500 words).
4. Attach supporting material – Statistics, photographs, videos and testimonials.
5. The same project can be entered in more than one category.
6. Entries may be moved into an alternative category if deemed more appropriate.
7. The judges and organisers’ decisions are final.
8. Where applicable, entries will be invalid without full payment prior to judging
9. Shortlisted entries will be contacted after the judging process is complete.
10. Winners will be announced at the Creative Retail Awards.
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Once your entry has been completed we will send an invoice for payment. This can be paid by card or bank transfer. Failure to pay will result in your entry being disqualified from the judging process. You can view our full terms and conditions here.
If you need advice on your entry please contact enquiries@sdea.co.uk or call SDEA on +44 (0)1883 348911
Entrants for the Design Agency of the Year Award are invited to complement their PDF project portfolio with a comprehensive account, limited to 1500 words, that underscores why their agency is a leader in the industry. This narrative is an essential addition to the visual and factual content of the PDF portfolio, providing a deeper insight into the ethos and achievements of your agency.
Key areas to elaborate on include:
Sustainability Credentials:
Expand on how your agency has incorporated sustainable practices into its business model. Describe eco-friendly initiatives, sustainable resource management, and any groundbreaking approaches to reducing environmental impact. Illustrate how these practices are ingrained in your operations and contribute to wider environmental objectives.
Innovative Working Practices:
Detail the innovative strategies and methods that characterize your agency’s approach. This could include the adoption of cutting-edge technology, unique problem-solving methodologies, or pioneering new market strategies. Explain how these practices have improved your agency’s productivity, creativity, and overall success, complementing the examples provided in your PDF portfolio.
Client Feedback:
Integrate testimonials from clients that highlight the impact and excellence of your agency. This feedback is a testament to the effectiveness of your agency, offering real-world examples of how you have met or exceeded client expectations, spurred their growth, or tackled complex challenges. These testimonials should resonate with the project examples in your PDF portfolio, providing a holistic view of your agency’s capabilities.
This submission is an opportunity to weave a compelling narrative about your agency. It should reflect your agency’s ethos, its commitment to excellence, and its path towards industry leadership, thereby providing a comprehensive picture within your PDF project portfolio. This dual approach of visual and written presentation is key to showcasing why your agency is deserving of the Design Agency of the Year title.
The "Festive Display" award is a distinguished accolade within the creative industry, designed to acknowledge and celebrate exceptional festive season display designs. This award is dedicated to recognising those displays that not only showcase artistic brilliance but also significantly enhance the customer experience, embodying the spirit of the season while resonating with the brand's identity.
The "Graphics" award spotlights excellence in the use of signs and graphics within retail spaces. This category recognises designs that achieve a harmonious balance between clear communication and the effective representation of brand values, enhancing both customer understanding and brand perception.
The Hospitality Design award celebrates exceptional fit-outs and refurbishments within retail-based hospitality environments, such as coffee shops, cafés, and other food and drink outlets, completed within the last 12 months. This category recognises both permanent and temporary designs that deliver outstanding customer experiences through thoughtful design and layout. It highlights how innovative design and architecture can transform retail spaces into welcoming, engaging and memorable environments that encourage customers to relax, connect and return. The award champions the seamless blend of retail and hospitality, where experience, atmosphere and functionality come together to define the modern customer journey.
Visual Appeal and Creativity: Displays should demonstrate a high level of creativity and visual impact, effectively attracting customers and enhancing their in-store experience.
Cohesion and Theme Consistency: Entries must present a clear and consistent theme or concept that connects all visual elements, creating a cohesive and engaging retail environment.
Impact on Customer Experience: The visual scheme should enhance the customer journey, making it enjoyable, memorable and reflective of the brand’s identity.
Innovative Use of Space and Display Elements: Submissions should highlight original and effective use of space, fixtures and display techniques that maximise visual impact within the store layout.
The "Independent Store" award, exclusive to the UK, celebrates the role of innovative design in independent retail. This category is dedicated to showcasing independent stores that stand out in their communities and distinguish themselves from competitors through exceptional design, unique concepts and a strong connection to the local environment.
The "Leisure, Visitor or Exhibition Attraction" award is a celebration of the dynamic evolution of retail spaces into hubs of diverse entertainment and engagement. This category encompasses a wide range of attractions, from traditional leisure activities like cinemas, bingo and bowling, to contemporary favourites such as table tennis, football and crazy golf, which cater to the Instagram-savvy generation. Additionally, it recognises the growing trend of brands utilising exhibition spaces to reach a captive audience, offering unique and interactive experiences that directly engage consumers.
This category recognises retail concepts that have been successfully developed and implemented across multiple sites or global markets. Entries should demonstrate how a strong and distinctive brand identity has been maintained through consistent design, execution and customer experience. Judges will look for projects that showcase creative scalability, operational excellence and a clear understanding of how to deliver a unified brand experience across a range of locations.
The award acknowledges retailers who excel in creating a seamless Omni-channel customer experience, effectively integrating various sales channels and bridging the gap between physical and digital retail environments. This category highlights those who have successfully merged at least one physical sales channel with digital platforms.
Brand Consistency: Entries must demonstrate how the brand’s design language, visual identity and atmosphere are consistently represented across all locations.
Design Quality and Execution: Submissions should highlight excellence in design, detailing and implementation, ensuring that each site reflects the same high standards.
Scalability and Efficiency: The concept should be designed for effective rollout, proving that it can be replicated across multiple sites while maintaining impact and integrity.
Customer Experience: Entries should show how the concept delivers a cohesive and recognisable customer experience that aligns with the brand’s core values.
The "Retail Experience" award emphasises the importance of customer experience in retail, moving beyond store design to focus on creating memorable, enriching, and engaging environments for shoppers. This category celebrates experiences that help retailers stand out against competitors and encourage shopper loyalty. Open to permanent and temporary stores, pop-ups and concessions, it highlights initiatives that successfully build brand identity and foster community engagement.
Customer Experience: Submissions must demonstrate how technology has enriched the customer journey, creating a more immersive, enjoyable and memorable shopping experience.
Design and Integration: Projects should highlight how technology has been seamlessly incorporated into the store design, complementing the overall aesthetic and layout.
Engagement and Interactivity: Entries should show how technology encourages customer participation, exploration or personalisation within the space.
Impact and Results: Submissions must provide evidence of the technology’s success through measurable improvements in engagement, dwell time, sales or brand perception.
The "Shopfitting / Fit Out" award, in association with the National Association of Shopfitters and Interior Contractors, honours the highest standards in shopfitting or fit-out projects across retail, leisure, and hospitality environments. This category celebrates spaces that showcase exceptional quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail, tailored specifically to budget, design and specification requirements.
This category recognises excellence in the design, layout and customer experience of supermarket and grocery environments. Entries should demonstrate how thoughtful planning, innovative design and effective merchandising create a welcoming, efficient and engaging shopping experience. Judges will look for projects that combine creativity, functionality and commercial awareness, showcasing how design can enhance the way customers shop for everyday essentials.
Design and Layout: Entries should highlight effective use of space, navigation and flow to create an intuitive and enjoyable shopping experience.
Customer Experience: Projects must demonstrate how design, atmosphere and presentation contribute to a positive, memorable and convenient experience for customers.
Innovation and Creativity: Submissions should showcase fresh thinking in areas such as store format, product presentation, lighting, sustainability or digital integration.
Merchandising and Visual Impact: Entries should show how visual presentation and product placement enhance engagement and drive purchasing decisions.
Functionality and Efficiency: Projects must demonstrate how operational needs are balanced with customer comfort, accessibility and design quality.
The Surfaces, Materials and Finishes award recognises outstanding use of innovative and high-quality finishes within retail spaces. This category highlights designs that skilfully reflect a brand’s ethos and complement the overall interior concept, enhancing both the visual and tactile experience of the store environment.
The Window Display award celebrates outstanding creativity and execution in the design of retail window presentations. This category recognises displays that capture attention, communicate brand identity and entice customers into the store through exceptional visual storytelling. Entries should demonstrate how design, composition and use of space create a memorable first impression that enhances both brand visibility and customer engagement.
Creativity and Visual Impact: Entries should showcase imaginative concepts and strong visual appeal that attract attention and engage passers-by.
Brand Communication: Projects must effectively convey brand values, identity or seasonal messaging through the window design.
Design Execution: Submissions should highlight excellence in composition, lighting, materials and craftsmanship.
Innovation: Entries should demonstrate originality in approach, whether through digital integration, movement, or unexpected design elements.
Customer Engagement: Displays should create curiosity, drive footfall and contribute to an overall positive shopping experience.