In This Issue
Inspiration and trends at spoga+gafa 2018
Santa's Secret Elf is back for Autumn 2018
Back to school breaks August Blues
Block Blitz to launch new larger pack at Glee 2018
Crossley to target more garden centres after £375,000 in new funding
Seasonal Offer up to 20% OFF* Trade Prices
Heatwave sees furniture and barbecue sales sizzle – but plant sales wilt
Autumn colour dominates GTN Bestsellers plant chart
Sipcam UK and Assured Products to launch RHS partnership range at Glee
Hilliers appoint two more family members to board
Wyevale Nurseries to ditch black pots in war on plastic
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Squires Christmas starts in October
Lighting brightens up garden product sales volumes
Herbs star for Veg-2-Go sales
Top soil and bulb planting compost hit the high spots
The best of last week's
Wyevale Garden Centres agrees sale of four more garden centres
Over 95% of Homebase creditors vote in favour of CVA
Great expectations for Glee 2018
AMES UK on the road to further expansion
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Brand new products, trends and innovations at lunch! 2018
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Heatwave sees furniture and barbecue sales sizzle – but plant sales wilt

Furniture and barbecue sales at GCA garden centres soared in the July heatwave, according to the association’s latest Barometer of Trade figures – but at the expense of sales of plants and sundries.

 

Compared to l2017, sales across both categories were 22.21% up, while outdoor plant sales fell by 10.33% and seeds and bulbs by 18.83%.

 

GCA chief executive Iain Wylie said that after a cold start to the season and slowly improving sales through April and May, the picture had begun to look better in June before the heatwave arrived.

 

“It looks like garden centre customers embraced the hot weather by spending time in their gardens and cooking up food on the barbecue. Hh

owever it was much too hot for any gardening to be done, which meant sales in outdoor plants and seeds and bulbs went down.

 

"Houseplant sales picked up slightly at 7.22% and garden sundries sales were up 2.33%."

 

Sales in pets and aquatics departments were also down -9.17% and hard landscaping was down -9.38%. Food hall and farm shop sales were down -0.73%, clothing was up 0.88% and catering was down -2.89%.

 

Overall sales for the month were down -1.07% with a year to date change of 0.85%.

 

 

Sharon McNair, commercial director at Tong Garden Centre, said: "Leisure sales in July saw a 31% increase on July 2017 and barbeques were 68% ahead of like-for- like sales last year. The prolonged good weather and a positive vibe created by England doing so well in the World Cup has really helped sales.

 

"With such a great long-term forecast, customers were confident that the summer would be good and were keen to enjoy being outdoors, making the most of their outside space - especially after such a long winter and poor summer last year!"

 

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement.

 

Chris Leslie, MD at Busy Bee Garden Centre, which recently joined the GCA, said: "The sunshine certainly stimulated our July sales, which exceeded the previous month and were 25% up on July last year (2017)."

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