Retail and wholesale brands in the South East are gaining momentum as they secure successful sales ahead of the 2025 peak season.
Known as the ‘Golden Quarter’, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas play a pivotal role in boosting annual revenue in retail and wholesale. In 2024 alone, large areas across Europe experienced a boost in spending for Black Friday, including the UK which totalled £1.12 billion.
Ahead of Black Friday international toy brands, for example in the South East of England, are crediting a European road freight expert for delivering their time-critical goods into key European markets – shipping consignments from Dartford mostly into Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Poland.
As a sector, retail continues steady growth in the EU. Data from Eurostat shows that the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.1 per cent in the EU when comparing August 2024 and August 2025.
Part of one of the UK’s largest independent logistics providers, Europa Worldwide Group, Europa Road in Dartford supports notable names in British toys.
Tom Archer, Branch Manager for Europa Road in Dartford, said: “Over the Golden Quarter, retail brands are under extreme pressure to ensure their products hit the shelves on time to meet consumer demand. If they don’t, they cannot compete in the marketplace, and consumer trust in the brand will be hugely impacted.
“The trouble is, there are a few hoops retailers and wholesalers need to jump through to get into European markets.
“Firstly, they must meet complex customs criteria, including Certificates of Safety for toys - which come under a degree of scrutiny when they arrive in Calais.
“Further to this, the Dartford team will often see an increase in shipments by up to 30 per cent over the Golden Quarter, which heightens the risk of congestion at key points in the supply chain.
“As a company located close to London, congestion is something we see every day, and it’s up to us to find ways in which we can guarantee a seamless movement for time-critical goods into European stores – even when things get busy.”
Companies relying on the Golden Quarter to improve profitability and keep up that competitive edge have no room for delay. Therefore, logistics providers must ensure they can offer guaranteed, daily deliveries across the EU, while boosting confidence for exporters that products can arrive and be replenished to meet consumer demand.
Adrian Redmile, Branch & Sales Director at Europa Worldwide Group: “At Europa, we believe in taking full accountability for overcoming our customers’ challenges. That’s why, over the past five years, we’ve made significant investments in building a robust and reliable customs infrastructure.
“Bolstering the capabilities of our team in Dartford, we employ more than 100 UK-EU customs experts working hard to ensure a seamless flow of goods. This is pivotal for the South East, which is home to a significant proportion of the UK’s retail and wholesale businesses.”
As an experienced supply chain partner and customs expert, Europa is helping businesses jump through complex customs clearance hoops and avoid transport delays during the Golden Quarter.
