Exhibition stand trends to watch in 2027

We like to keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to exhibition stand trends, so we’ve asked Edward Marshall, our Creative Director, to look ahead to 2027. This time, he’s had help from Will, David, Kathryn and Sam, who have spent the year in the halls building and breaking down stands, so they know what’s changing on the show floor and what exhibitors are up against behind the scenes. 

Here’s what we think will be the top trends in exhibition stands in 2027.

Sustainable exhibition stands you can measure

Ed’s crystal ball has worked a treat. In his 2025 exhibition stand trends, he said sustainability would take centre stage, and it has stayed there. What’s changing as we head into 2027 is the level of accountability brands need to display. It’s no longer enough to say your stand is sustainable. You now need to show your audience how you are fulfilling your commitment to more responsible exhibiting.

More organisers, exhibitors and suppliers are measuring and reporting the carbon impact of their events than ever. Frameworks like Better Stands add to that by grading how reusable a stand is. It checks ten stand components, from flooring and fascias to lighting, and rates the stand bronze, silver or gold. It has been trialled at more than 400 events in 37 countries. That makes it much easier to benchmark progress from one show to the next.

We’re seeing this with our clients too. Cleveland Cable Company have won Better Stands Gold on multiple occasions for their Motive Exhibitions designed and built stand. It’s a clear example of how brands are now being recognised for actually demonstrating their stands’ sustainability, not just saying the right things.

Reusable aluminium stand frameworks have become a popular alternative to traditional timber, and more clients are planning stands they will use again, rather than building once and scrapping it after. It’s exactly the kind of challenge we enjoy solving, while adding custom elements to make them unique to the brands.

“Sustainability isn’t just about materials anymore,” says Edward. “It’s about how you design, build, transport and partner. Every part of the process has an impact.” Sam adds, “The quality of modular systems can vary, too. Our modular stands use European aluminium and have three times lower carbon footprint in primary production compared to those manufactured in China.“

This mindset shift is showing up in show organisers too. After the success of InstallerSHOW and the launch of elementalLONDON in 2025, we expect to see even more events shaped around efficiency, innovation and accountability. Sustainability is now influencing entire shows, not just the stands that sit within them.

But there’s more work to do. Skips are still appearing at breakdown, and plenty of good materials are being thrown away long before the end of their life. The difference this year is that more brands are asking better questions and expecting their suppliers to come back with real answers that they can feel confident referring to.

If you’re planning your 2027 exhibitions, build sustainability into the brief from day one. Ask your suppliers where your materials come from, how long they’ll last and what happens when you’re finished with them. The brands that can answer those questions confidently are the ones leading the way.

Exhibition stands that work harder across multiple show

Sustainability is one reason to reuse a stand, but for many exhibitors, the bigger reason is budget. More brands are asking for a single stand that can be reconfigured for different venues, stand sizes, products and show objectives, rather than paying for a new build every time (and one way to increase ROI). It works best when the whole show calendar is considered at the start, not one show at a time.

All-Fill is a good example. Their stand at Interpack in Düsseldorf was 10m x 6m and built around two working machines. A few months later, the same modular rental system was reconfigured into a 6.5m x 4m stand at PPMA in Birmingham, with an LED wall showing the machines in action instead of the machines themselves. You can read how the stand came together in the All-Fill Interpack case study. Deanta took a similar approach in 2026, with one custom framework across three very different stand sizes.

If you’re exhibiting more than once next year, ask your stand builder to plan the whole calendar at the start. Our modular exhibition stands and exhibition stand hire are built for exactly that, with custom elements added where a show needs them.

Secondary events and regional shows

 We expect to see more organisers branching out in 2027 with twin location shows and regional versions of established events. Lunch North! is a good example. It was launched off the back of the popularity of Lunch! at ExCeL and now runs alongside the already successful Northern Restaurant & Bar.

Edward says, “We see a lot of regional brands choosing either Southern (London) or Northern show (popular locations include Glasgow and Manchester) depending on where their audience is.”

The food, drink and catering sector looks set to keep evolving too. Over the last two to three years we have seen shows merge, rebrand or widen their scope. National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show and Northern Restaurant & Bar are good examples. Casual Dining North disappeared, and elements of Commercial Kitchen were brought into Northern Restaurant & Bar to broaden the appeal and bring more exhibitors in. With even more brands under one roof attracting higher attendance, it’s a more convenient way to get noticed by the people that matter.

The built environment sector has seen the same kind of growth. The InstallerSHOW team launched elementalLONDON in 2025, with more than  200 exhibitors involved.  In 2026 they are expect 250+ exhibitors and 25,000+ visitors.

Do you want the low down on exhibiting at popular shows including Lunch!, elementalLONDON or InstallerSHOW? Our guides in the exhibition directory cover everything from show stats to location pitfalls.

Not sure which shows to exhibit at? Our free Showfinder tool matches shows to your sector, location and goals.

Looking at smarter ways to make a trade show stand more efficient

Electricity costs for stands are increasing.

Cooking shows use a lot of equipment, and this can quickly make energy costs for your stand spiral. Look at what you’re taking and think about how much it will cost to run in the planning stages of attending an event. Instead of using a heavy duty oven, consider cooking with an air fryer, which is smaller and significantly cheaper to use. The same applies to anything with a high power draw, like machinery you will need to use or demonstrate.

“The cost to plan, ship and run machinery on a stand may account for the trend in seeing less of it on stands and more creative ways to showcase a piece of machinery through tech instead.” says Edward.

Will adds, “This is where we can really help a client to see what’s possible, and work together to deliver a creative idea that will get valuable eyeballs on their business. We want to know exactly what our clients want to get out of a show, whether that’s the ability to show a product, collect quality leads to follow up after a show, or take orders on the spot. That information enables us to create a stand that really works for your business.”

Lighting is another area where exhibitors can make savings without compromising on the look of their stand. LEDs are now standard practice to ensure stands are well lit for less, but there are still plenty of ways to use them creatively. Dynamic and programmable LEDs give movement to the lighting, while some brands use light trails to guide visitors. “There are a lot of alternative options to create interest.” says Edward.

When it comes to sharing, it’s not just trade shows joining forces. Brands are also seeing the value in collaborating. “We’ve seen a trend in brands using the power of an established brand to help launch a new product or challenger brand. Utilising the name and budget of a familiar brand is a great way to get smaller emerging brands in front of an engaged audience.” says Kathryn.

Food brands often have multiple brands and feature them on the same stand. Our recent stand for owner-led, health-shot brand Turmeric & Co and beverage brand Raw Hydrate is a classic example of this being done well.

“Sometimes it’s partnerships. Sometimes co-owned brands. We’ve even seen supply chains and suppliers collaborate.” says Edward.  This works really well for brands who are smaller and have taken smaller space in the past but have found it hard to resource and budget for. Joining forces spreads the planning, organising, running and pooling budgets to secure bigger stands and ease the load for each brand works really well. “Exhibition stands are resource and time intensive, for smaller, challenger brands taking 50-60% of your workforce away from the business for a few days can have a big impact.” says Edward.

“A distributor might have the financial clout, but often the smaller challenger brand has the audience and social influence. Bringing both together is a powerful solution” adds Will.

Leaving it last minute

It isn’t a stand trend, but it is certainly a trend: clients leaving stands to the last minute.

Unless you decide to exhibit at the last minute, we strongly advise against leaving designing and building a stand to the last minute. We’ve seen an increase in shows selling space last minute, and while this is a great way to get space cheaper, waiting until close to the deadline means you risk not getting the stand design you ideally want within a tight time frame.

“We will always endeavour to help when we can, and while we may already be at the show, there’s a good chance we’ll be committed to working on other stands there and elsewhere,” explains Edward. Less time generally means fewer choices on design options, as you’ll be working to a timeframe which may limit your creative freedom.

Booking a big space with a short timeframe becomes even riskier for stands with technical products or big stands, as these often need to have specific design considerations and structural calcs required to meet the tight health and safety requirements in the UK.

Get ahead for your 2027 show with our free Showfinder tool

• Choose your sector
• Pick the UK location you’d like to exhibit in
• Pick your show objective

You’ll get a shortlist of the best-matching shows in seconds, with links to each one, and you can have it sent straight to your inbox to help with your planning.