COVID-19 concerns lead to industry trade show postponements

03 Mar 2020 --- Several global food and beverage trade shows have been rescheduled or indefinitely postponed due to health concerns in light of COVID-19. Many companies are concerned about contracting the virus within typical event parameters – asymptomatic transmission via large crowds of people handshaking and food sampling within confined quarters. This has spiraled into a heated debate on social media regarding refund claims and booth compensation demands from both factions as it is still uncertain how attendees can make up for their investments in their exhibitions for the shows.

Affected events include Natural Products Expo West, hosted in Anaheim, US; Tokyo’s CPhI Japan; and CFIA, held in Rennes, France. After back-and-forth consideration, Expo West has officially been postponed from March 3 to 7 to a new date to be announced by mid-April. The event was faced with an anticipated 40-60 percent drop in its predicted 85,000 attendance from previous years alongside a slew of calls for a straight-forward cancelation for the original date.

Trade shows huddle thousands of people together in confined spaces, increasing the likelihood of contracting diseases. Some companies have canceled attendance due to safety reasons, while others will not attend as a result of increasingly complex travel arrangements and, ultimately, low expected event turnout. Industry players that pulled out before the postponement was made official include ADM, General Mills, Gerber, Ingredion, KIND Snacks, Naturex, Nestlé, Reckitt Benckiser, Red Bull and Unilever. 

New Hope Network states it intends to collaborate with its exhibitors and attendees on future credits and support, with particular focus on the many entrepreneurs and small businesses, for whom it plans to stand up a rebate fund of US$5 million targeted at their specific needs. Regardless, Expo West has been criticized for not canceling the event earlier in advance, leaving many projected event attendees with unrequited travel and accommodation bills, as well as unfulfilled business opportunities.

To make up for this, Expo West aims to reschedule the event before mid-2020, either in Anaheim or a suitable alternative location. Moreover, the event organizers state they are channeling their efforts to deliver a “much-enhanced Expo East in September in Philadelphia.”

A proactive approach
CPhI Japan, initially set to take place from March 16-18, has already been postponed; however, it has yet to determine an alternative date and location. Meanwhile, GL Events moved its CFIA CFIA Rennes from March 10-12 to May 26-28 at Parc des Expo Rennes Aéroport. 

Shaking several hands within hours also allows diseases to travel quickly.“As a safety measure in the face of the local health situation, it seems the postponement of the 2020 edition of the CFIA is the wisest decision. It is a difficult decision to make but the conditions were not met for this event to take place with confidence,” Sébastien Gillet, Exhibition Director at GL Events, declared in a public report.

As an upwards of 90,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases has been reached globally, misinformation surrounding supplements and herbs runs rampant. Social media has seen the spread of speculation and rumors, while unscrupulous companies within peddle supplements claiming to “treat or prevent infection by the coronavirus.” As a result, organizations such as the Natural Products Association (NPA) are calling on governments to crack down on scammers and the misinformation deluge.

From a nutritional perspective, experts are emphasizing the critical role bolstering immune defence can play in protecting the body from external harm. Meanwhile, as of early February, many businesses were remaining optimistic that the epidemic will pass quickly, most notably with Lonza resuming production at the majority of its Chinese facilities. 

By Anni Schleicher