In This Issue
"New Gardeners", how are garden centres reacting to them, or not...
Back to the ‘New Normal’
Garden Pride are fully stocked and ready for Christmas
Paul Sykes departs Apta after a decade of growth
Autumn plant sales stay way ahead
Two-thirds more gardening this Autumn
Gardening grows green shoots of optimism
Greenfingers completes 59th and 60th garden projects
The lockdown gardeners – who are they and how do we keep them?
Dobbies and the HTA urge people to #KeepBritainGrowing
Gardenex, PetQuip and the CHA welcome rises in membership
Top selling tools from Darlac after lockdown
Burgon & Ball launches new designs for RHS Gifts for Gardeners range
Garden centre creates 24 jobs at new restaurant
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair moves to February
Smart welcomes new National Accounts Manager
Gardeners get active again and sales jump
RHS and Scholastic to launch new activity books for children
Christmas not growing as fast as last year
Digital edition of GrootGroenPlus 2020 hailed a success
From Liverpool to Cornwall - rich harvest for national wildflower centre
The best of last week's
When it rains... sales fall. Garden centre business as normal...
Rosebourne sign up Whalley and Ormrod
Tong applies for planning permission for a second site
Pet and garden store chain commits to the high street
Fire & water - Woodlodge adds to product line-up
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Pets Choice buys pet accessory business The Animate Company
Luxury dog accessory range launched
PATS Telford Best in Show revealed
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214


Gardening grows green shoots of optimism
HTA Market Update

The UK garden industry is well placed to be an engine of ‘green economic growth’ says the Horticultural Trades Association, as it publishes positive industry monthly sales figures (up 25% v Sept 19) and a new consumer trend analysis report detailing changing consumer behaviours and how they’re here to stay. However, keeping garden centres open in the event of further restrictions is key to keeping this economic recovery and growth agenda and supporting physical and mental health wellbeing. 

 

The HTA’s Consumer Trends and the Opportunities for Garden Businesses post-COVID report shows how the nation has adjusted to steps taken by government to guide people through the pandemic, with concerns for health and wellbeing and high levels of anxiety seeing people wanting to reconnect with nature and personal connections with domestic gardens strengthened as consumers realise the benefits and relief they have provided during the crisis.  

 

As the pandemic continues to pose a threat, consumer desire to be more self-sufficient, to create ‘healthy habitats’ and make ‘green’ home improvements drives consumer attitudes and behaviour. 

  

Looking to the Christmas period, the October Market Update also suggests potential after months of uncertainty.  

 

Garden centre sales show strong growth in September, with sales up 25% nationally compared with September 2019. This was driven by sales of garden/gardening categories, particularly plants, seeds, tools and equipment. Indoor living and homewares and gifting categories are up 16% and 8% respectively on September 2019.   

 

Christmas is the second busiest time of the year for garden centres and Christmas sales are 21% up on September 2019, indicating consumers are shopping early for Christmas.  

 

Together with data showing consumer confidence to visit garden centres remains high and around three quarters of British adults overall say they feel confident in visiting, the chances of the good Christmas people so desperately want and need look promising. 

 

David Denny, HTA Futures and Sustainability Manager, comments: “Our Market Update report and new consumer trends report shows how the garden industry is well placed to lead the UK green economic recovery and growth agenda. From underpinning the Government’s ‘25 Year Environment Plan to contributing hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the British production supply chain, we are already seeing how British society attitudes and behaviours are changing to reconnect with outdoor spaces.  

 

“We are reminded however as the pandemic continues that this positive and opportune moment sits on fragile territory. Constant changes to restrictions by government mean that we must continue to do all we can to ensure garden centres and their associated hospitality offers can remain open, for example, and for retailers to reassure customers that the garden centre remains one of the safest and satisfying retail/leisure destinations, particularly as we approach the festive period.” 

 

HTA Market Update and Trends & opportunities post-COVID are available free for members to download from the HTA website, by logging in and visiting the Market Update page and the Trends report page 

 

Sources: HTA Garden Retail Monitor, HTA Market Update October 2020, Trends & opportunities post-COVID - HTA Market Information October 2020 

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