We predicted September to be 20% up but with continued high levels of gardening activity and Christmas starting with a bang the month ended up 31% on last year. That means September garden centre trading in 2020, according to the Epos data analysed by GTN Bestsellers every week, matched garden centre volume sales in June when normally September sales would be between 70% and 75% of June.
There’s no sign at the moment that core gardening activity is dropping off. The GTN Bestsellers chart indexes for Growing Media, Veg-2-Gro and All Plants were significantly up on last year for the last week of September at 109%, 63% and 57% respectively.
Where Christmas has already opened in centres it has started selling like never before for the end of September. This week we produce the first GTN Bestsellers Christmas chart and it shows that sales are up 71% on the same week last year.
That all bodes well for a strong end to the year, but do you expect sales to be lower than last year in the run up to Christmas when events are not taking place due to Covid-19 restrictions? Do let us know: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 39
- Garden Products Top 50 – up 2%
- Growing Media Top 50 – up 109%
- Wild Bird Care Top 50 – up 16%
- Veg-2-Gro Top 50 – up 63%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 39
- All Plants with Barcode index – up 57%
- All Items with Barcode index – up 35%
See the full GTN Bestsellers analysis and charts in the GTN Bestsellers printed newsletter each week. To subscribe for only £145 a year use this link.