All the indications are that garden centre summer trading is getting back to normal, in terms of products, plants and catering – it’s just running at a steady 20% up on 2019 levels in terms of volumes sold.
The first four weeks of July 2021 have been much quieter than last year, down by almost 7%, but July and August last year were still seeing the catch-up effects of Lockdown #1. So, the real measure of the ‘New Normal’ is a comparison to 2019 and that shows sales volumes so far this month up by 23%, and 30% higher than the same four weeks in the previous nine years.
Visits to centres have seen busy, bustling restaurants and coffee shops so it would appear garden centres are once again amongst the places of choice for lunching and dining during the school holidays. Perhaps that is driving the total volume sales performance despite gardening slowing with a return to good levels of impulse gift sales and other items.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 30.
- Garden Products Top 50 – down 21%
- Growing Media Top 50 – down 36%
- Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 52%
- Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 12%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 30.
- All Plants with Barcode index – down 16%
- All Items with Barcode index – down 5%
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