The head of the world’s largest technology trade fair accused the British government of failing to adequately support British companies on the global stage and warned that the country is lagging behind its European rivals in showcasing innovations.
Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES in Las Vegas, said Britain’s presence at the event remained patchy and disappointing compared to countries such as France and the Netherlands.
CES, which opens this week, attracts around 100,000 attendees each year and is widely considered the most influential global platform for new consumer technologies. Thousands of companies use the four-day trade fair to bring products to market, secure international partnerships and attract investment.
Shapiro said Britain’s participation in the event had been “patchy”, adding that this was surprising given the strength of the UK’s tech sector. He said other Western European governments are consistently prioritizing the event, not only through financial support but also by sending senior political figures to show their support for their domestic technology industries.
The CTA boss particularly criticized the British government’s lack of visible engagement at the CES. While France will again be represented by cabinet ministers following previous appearances by President Emmanuel Macron, and the Netherlands will send senior political representatives, including members of its royal family, Britain has no comparable presence.
“It doesn’t have to be about money,” Shapiro said. “It’s about turning up. Are relevant cabinet ministers attending the world’s largest innovation event? In the case of the UK, that hasn’t happened in any significant way for years and that was a disappointment.”
According to preliminary exhibitor numbers, there are 64 companies present at CES in France this year, 38 in Germany, 29 in the UK and 27 in the Netherlands. However, final figures will not be confirmed until later in 2026. According to industry figures, the gap in visibility is larger than the raw numbers suggest, indicating the scale and quality of government-funded country pavilions from other countries.
The criticism follows the UK government’s decision in 2021 to scrap the Tradeshow Access Programme, a scheme that provided grants of up to £2,500 to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to take part in international trade fairs. The scheme, estimated to cost between £8m and £10m a year, has not been reinstated despite repeated lobbying from the tech sector.
Mark Birchall, managing director of trade fair support company Tradefair, said the UK’s lack of support was clearly felt by companies trying to compete internationally. He said British companies were often overshadowed by smaller nations whose governments invested heavily in national stands and coordinated delegations.
“I’ve been jealous of the pavilion for years,” Birchall said. “You go to big tech events and see countries like Latvia, Lithuania and Malta turning up with impressive government-funded stands, while British companies are left to fend for themselves.”
Analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight said the situation shows a growing discrepancy between the government’s rhetoric and reality. He said the UK often talks about its ambition to become a global technology leader but continually fails to provide practical support at the world’s key industry events.
“France continues to stand out for how it supports its start-ups and SMEs,” he said. “The evidence is clear. In the UK the private sector is being asked to bear the costs alone.”
A government spokesman defended his record, saying a thriving tech sector was at the heart of his plans to boost the economy and modernize public services. The spokesman pointed to the Industrial Strategy and Small Business Plan as evidence of support for companies seeking international expansion.
But for many in the tech industry, CES remains a litmus test of global ambitions and one from which Britain risks being seen as absent as international competition heats up.
