Garden Centre sales during the first week of December 2021 reached a new seasonal high, up by 8% on the same week in both 2020 and 2019, according to Epos data analysed every week by GTN Bestsellers.

With just two full weeks of trading left for the year, the GTN Bestsellers volume garden centre sales index for the year to date now sits at 28% up on 2020 and 17% up on 2019. 

Record high for November 2021

November 2021 garden centre sales volumes overall set a new record high for the month according to the Epos data analysed every week by GTN Bestsellers.  Sales of all barcoded products were 4% higher than 2020 and 14% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

And that’s despite the last week of November being slightly down on last year by 5%. With three full trading weeks left for the calendar year, year to date sales volumes are now 18% up on 2019 levels.  It would appear garden centres are still winning the hearts and minds of shoppers.  Long may that continue.

Plants up by 27%

November 2021 plant sales were up by 27% on 2019 in the GTN Bestsellers weekly Epos data.

The total for the month was down by 4% on last year, but the comparison to pre-pandemic levels is the indicator everybody will be watching for potential long term market growth.

Garden Products down in November

The Top 50 Garden Products sales volumes are the one area where sales have not matched the overall sales growth post pandemic.

November Top 50 volumes this year were 11% down on 2020 levels and 35% down on 2019 levels when some new garden lighting lines sold in high volumes. 

Growing extending through to winter

November’s Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes were 13% down on 2020 but 44% up on 2019 indicating a continued growth in growing activity from new gardeners and more keener gardeners who are extending their growing activity right though to winter.

Christmas in November up by 9% vs 2019

Last week didn’t quite meet the record high of last year for the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas sales volume index but overall for November Christmas sales were 9% up on 2019 levels and just 2% down on last year.

Given the clamour to buy Christmas last year after #lockdown 1 and the issues with quite a lot of Christmas stock arriving late this year everyone we’ve met over the past few weeks is suitably happy with their Christmas trading this year.

Veg 2 Gro sales a good omen for next Spring

Veg 2 Gro sales, albeit small volumes at this time of the year were up by 20% on last year for the month of November, and up by 43% on November 2019.  If core veg growing is an indicator of keenness, this is a good omen for next spring.

Mild November hits Wild Bird Care sales

Wild Bird Care sales suffered from the mild start to November and closed the month 17% down on 2020 levels.  Garden Centres will be hoping that sales bounce back now that cold weather has set in.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 48.

• Garden Products Top 50 – down 14%
• Growing Media Top 50 – down 25%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 7%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 11%
• Christmas Top 50 – down 2%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 48

•           All Plants with Barcode index – down 17%

•           All Items with Barcode index – down 5%

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