About Us

The Greeting Card Association is the trade body for the greeting card industry. The voice of the British card industry, our mission is to represent, protect and promote our wonderfully innovative sector. The GCA supports it’s members to build their businesses, providing specialist information and networking events.

The GCA has been working for the greeting card industry since 1919 and today comprises over 500 members companies, large and small.

We’ve championed the Greeting Card Industry for over 100 years

Annual UK spend on Greeting Cards

Cards bought each year in the UK

Spent on Mother's Day cards in the UK each year

Number of businesses represented by the GCA

The voice of the UK’s Greeting Card Industry

The GCA is an independent not for profit trade organisation operating for the benefit of its’ members, who are greeting card publishers, retailers, individuals and suppliers to the card industry.

The GCA supports its members to build their businesses, by providing a forum for them to promote their business, providing specialist information, access to specialist suppliers and organising events that provide opportunities to build business relationships and keep up to date with key industry issues.

The GCA represents the industry with organisations that impact greeting card sales, such as the media and Royal Mail, and promotes and encourages greeting card sending. It also develops initiatives, such as Thinking of You Week and Festive Friday, to highlight the benefits of card sending.

The GCA also compiles the only comprehensive annual market report, available to most members free of charge.

The GCA is governed by its Council of elected members and managed by Amanda Fergusson, GCA CEO.

GCA Values

Greeting cards build relationships; sending and receiving a greeting card creates a strong connection.

Our industry facilitates and celebrates positive communication between people of all backgrounds in Britain. We lead the world in greeting card design and innovation, exporting our designs across the globe.

The GCA are committed to equality, diversity and inclusiveness in the greeting card industry, both in the workplace and across the range of cards available.

The GCA promote the positive aspects of card sending on TV and radio and in the media. 

Our Card Sending Initiatives

The GCA organises two annual card sending events on behalf of the industry, Thinking of You Week and Festive Friday.

Thinking Of You Week

Launched in 2014, Thinking of You Week takes place during the last week in September. This consumer-sending occasion is designed to harness the emotional power of cards to create a wave of love, caring and happiness around the world, by encouraging the public to sends card a day to different people during the week.

The initiative has spread to the USA and Australia too!

Festive Friday

Festive Friday is 4 weeks before Christmas, the day when the whole greeting card industry sends its personal Christmas cards to friends and family to launch the festive sending season with bang.

Launched in 2013, Festive Friday creates a great first wave of beautiful cards arriving in early December to get the nation in the Christmas card-sending mood!

Championing Greeting Cards for over 100 years

The Greeting Card Association was established in 1919 by leading greeting card publishers to bring together all parties with an interest in the healthy continuation of our industry. Today it embraces publishers, retailers, suppliers and individuals working in our community.

The GCA is their representative to government, the Royal Mail, the media and anyone who impacts our industry. The GCA provides information and material to schools and colleges, promoting the habit of card sending among the young and encouraging design innovation.

Supporting our Members

The GCA’s mission is to support the Greeting Card Industry across the supply chain. Our members include paper and board manufacturers, envelope suppliers, publishers, fulfilment centres and of course retailers.

We help new entrants to the market to find their feet, providing help, advice and creating regular forums for discussion and learning, facilitating business development.

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Industry Voice

The GCA represents the industry with organisations that impact greeting card sales, such as the media, government and Royal Mail.

Member Benefits

The GCA negotiates discounts and other benefits from specialist suppliers on behalf of members. Promote your business to buyers in the Members’ Directory. Check and register new ranges on the GCA Range Names Register, before going to print to avoid duplication.

KNOWLEDGE BASE

The GCA website is a key trade source for retailers and others working, or interested, in the industry. Maintaining a comprehensive website and members’ library, providing specialist advice to inform and support industry growth.

Networking

The GCA organises member-only networking events that provide opportunities to build business relationships and keep up to date with pressing industry issues.

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Promoting Card Sending

Promotes and encourages greeting card sending by media contact, and developing initiatives, such as Thinking of You Week, highlighting the benefits of card sending.

Market report

The GCA compiles the only industry annual greeting card market research report. Available free to most members or for a fee to non-members.

Making Connections

We understand the struggle new publishers go through when they are trying to get established. Featuring in the GCA members’ directory promotes your business to retailers and others. The GCA community support each other, sharing ideas and building understanding supporting industry growth.

Making the right connections and building relationships is key to successful business growth. The GCA facilities this though it’s website and member networking events.

Dragons Dating.

This annual event allows publishers and retailers from across our membership to come together in a speed-dating / Dragon’s Den style environment, making new connections that may otherwise not have happened. This annual lively and fun event has helped bring new cards to market, bringing more smiles to consumers and recipients.

If you would like to get in touch with the Greeting Card Association , please contact us.