Barcode Festival, the grocery industry’s biggest one-day music and fundraising event, is set to get even bigger and better next year with more people, more brand activations and more networking opportunities.
Taking place on 3 July, the 2025 edition of the annual celebration of the grocery industry which has been running for five years will see the event move to a sensational new venue: the landscaped gardens of Kenwood House on the edge of Hampstead Heath in London. The location change will boost capacity by over 35 per cent, giving grocery workers, from CEOs to shop floor, the chance to enjoy Barcode’s renowned entertainment, as well as food and drink from the industry’s most exciting brands.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of the success of the 2024 event which brought together 5,000 industry colleagues, including over 1,000 retailers, and 110 brand activations. The day raised over £1.3 million for GroceryAid, the charity behind the festival. Headliners Pete Tong, Kelis and Katy B performed to a sell-out crowd with all money raised going towards helping GroceryAid provide emotional, practical and financial support to grocery workers.
“Barcode is a one-of-a-kind B2B event,” said Kieran Hemsworth, CEO of GroceryAid. “It encapsulates the vibrancy and fun of the grocery industry and mixes networking with top music acts – but importantly, it is underpinned by vital fundraising, helping GroceryAid serve those who serve us. It also spreads awareness of our welfare offer, which means more people in our industry are able to learn about GroceryAid and access our services.
“Whether you are coming to reward and recognise your team for their hard work, activate your brand in front of senior industry figures, or to network and provide hospitality for industry connections, Barcode Festival is always a unique celebration of the industry. Its growth is a testament to the support we receive from the grocery industry, and we’re looking forward to bringing everyone together again next year, and being able to help even more people as a result.”
Barcode 2025 offers unrivalled brand exposure, networking and team recognition opportunities.
For brands, it will be the ultimate platform to activate immersive experiences, launch NPDs and provide samples to create memorable connections with B2B target audiences. For teams, it will be a chance to enjoy time together, recognise and reward hard work and host branded hospitality zones. Many companies treat it as a ready-made team party with the benefit of supporting the wider industry at the same time. For everyone, it’s a unique networking opportunity with access to all major retailers in a single place.
“Barcode is brilliant because it means we don’t have to spend loads of time organising our own event,” said Lauren Mallon, Head of People, Marks & Spencer. “We can bring all of the team to Barcode where everything’s provided. From food and drink to entertainment: Barcode is a one-stop shop. The team absolutely love it!”
Mark Mason, UK sales Director, Church & Dwight agreed. “It is fantastic to have so many grocers at one event at one time,” he said. “It gives us the opportunity to speak to so many different people and invite them to engage with our brand and understand what we are doing with our business in the year ahead.”
Brand activation opportunities range from standout XL packages to roaming ambassador passes. For more information and to secure tickets, visit www.barcodefestival.co.uk
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