Disappointing first week of May wipes out all gains
Ouch, that cold spell has really pinched at garden centre sales this year. GTN Bestsellers All Product Index shows the first week of May down 25% on the same week last year and that has wiped out all of the gains achieved so far this year as far as total volume sales are concerned.
And value will have been hit harder with fewer high price furniture and BBQ sales as the continued cold winds kept people from enjoying their gardens.
Indications are, however, that the desire to get out and enjoy the garden is still there. We just need it to warm up.
Our Veg-2-Gro sales index fared best last week and growing media sales are still sitting at 16% up year on year for the year to date.
The national media tried to whip up a storm by commenting on the lack of rainfall which may have generated a few watering related sales but as Andy Bunker said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Drive programme: “Plants are really resilient at this time of the year, even lawns are looking green, so there’s no need to panic just yet.”
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year...
