Garden centres told to keep an eye on stock levels Concerns grow amid reports of plants being dumped
Garden centres are being urged to ensure plant stock levels can meet demand if there is a sudden buying rush...
The warning follows news that commercial growers are being forced to throw away vast quantities of spring plants due to slow sales at garden centres.
As temperatures rose this weekend, GCA interim Chief Executive Iain Wylie (below) said: "We're all hoping for a prolonged spell of warm weather and if we get it then garden centres must be able to cope with the demand.
"The big concern is there may be shortages of plant stocks if reports of growers dumping flowers are correct. I have every sympathy for the growers because they are in a no-win situation.
"We know that poor sales can't be blamed on a lack of enthusiasm from gardeners. The desire is there – we just need some good weather, and the rest of April and May could help businesses to recover."
Peter Burks, Chairman of the GCA and Regional Manager of The Garden Centre Group, said: "I've heard suggestions that instead of dumping unwanted plants they should be given to worthy causes. But we are talking about a huge amount of plants, not a few trays here and there, so logistically it would be too big a task. Anyway, if the demand for these plants was there, then growers and garden centres wouldn't have unsold stock."
Growers of early spring plants destined for gardens are reporting "catastrophic" impacts on their businesses from slow garden centre sales, cancelled retail orders, and poor consumer demand, according to the National Farming Union.
Ian Riggs from the NFU said retailers are "abandoning" the spring season, forcing their suppliers to throw away large quantities of unsold stock.
"With consumers not showing much interest in getting out into their gardens during the cold weather retailers are abandoning the spring season and moving their attentions to summer stock.
"This leaves growers holding vast quantities of unsold stock, which will most likely have to be thrown away as there is no other market."
"The big concern is there may be shortages of plant stocks if reports of growers dumping flowers are correct. I have every sympathy for the growers because they are in a no-win situation.
