This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Creative Products, who are seeking a hard-working, dedicated full time merchandiser/area representative to look after the company's accounts across London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey....
Garden Centre sales keep bucking “normal” trends this summer with sales volumes reported in the GTN Bestsellers aggregated garden centre Epos data staying at the high level of the first week in August when normally we’d all be expecting sales to be tailing off before the start of an increase for Autumn gardening...
Garden Centre sales keep bucking “normal” trends this summer with sales volumes reported in the GTN Bestsellers aggregated garden centre Epos data staying at the high level of the first week in August when normally we’d all be expecting sales to be tailing off before the start of an increase for Autumn gardening.
That all meant sales for the second week of August 2021 were 19% higher than in August 2020 and a whopping 47% ahead of 2019 levels.
With bulbs only just being delivered into centres after the late harvest this year plant sales and Veg 2 Gro sales both were 15% up on last year.
Watch this space to see how Autumn gardening activity tracks against previous years…
Please note our last week, year on year comparisons, below, are now back to 2020.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 33.
Garden Products Top 50 – down 8%
Growing Media Top 50 – down 6%
Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 15%
Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – up 35%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 33.
Online registration for Glee (12th – 14th September, NEC Birmingham) is now live, enabling buyers and retailers to get online and book their free ticket to the first in-person garden trade exhibition anywhere in Europe within the last 18 months...
Online registration for Glee (12th – 14th September, NEC Birmingham) is now live, enabling buyers and retailers to get online and book their free ticket to the first in-person garden trade exhibition anywhere in Europe within the last 18 months!
With the absence of live events having been felt across the industry, retailers from independent and multiple garden centre chains, DIY and high street stores, e-commerce sites, pet shops, home & gift and outdoor leisure specialists, builders’ merchants and landscapers alike will not want to miss out on securing their free ticket to Glee 2021 where over 300 brands – including 100 companies never before seen at the exhibition - come together to showcase eight thriving products sectors and also launch thousands of new products.
To register for Glee 2021 simply visit www.gleebirmingham.com and click the ‘Register Today button to confirm your attendance at the show.
In addition to bringing together the biggest and most exciting showcase of established and emerging brands, Glee will also be a hotspot for cross-industry networking and will benefit from a rich educational and inspirational programme of content that is designed to arm retailers with invaluable advice to help grow their businesses despite challenging trading conditions.
Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Whilst visiting gleebirmingham.com view the wealth of wider information that is available, helping you to plan your trip around the show. With so much content and so many exhibitors ready and willing to do business, a visit to Glee can be a fully-packed three-day agenda so time spent pre-planning will pay dividends onsite.”
Important details on the latest Safe & Secure measures put in place to ensure a safe reopening of Glee – including the introduction of Covid-19 Status checks – can also be found at gleebirmingham.com/the-community/safe-secure. All attendees are advised to view this information before travelling to the show.
Today’s gardeners are looking to get more out of their garden hose; from length to kink-resistance and durability, as well as manoeuvrability and ease of storage. The solution is Hozelock’s Tuffhoze...
Today’s gardeners are looking to get more out of their garden hose; from length to kink-resistance and durability, as well as manoeuvrability and ease of storage.
There is a product for every gardener and gardening need with Hozelock’s vast product offering, which includes a range of alternative hoses, combining a knowledge and passion for gardening with innovative hose solutions.
The combination of PVC and textile hose technology makes Hozelock’s Tuffhoze up to 50% lighter than a traditional hose, meaning it is lightweight and flexible, whilst remaining super tough. For those gardeners looking to get more out of their garden hose, Tuffhoze can be used with a pressure washer system, making it ideal for outdoor cleaning tasks such as washing the car or driveway.
Also in Hozelock’s alternative hose offering is the Superhoze, featuring a dynamic design which enables it to expand up to three times its original length and then shrink back in size after use. The hose is made from a highly elastic inner core and a soft, yet robust outer, meaning that there are no hard materials to fold, bend, kink or tangle, ensuring a constant water flow.
Both products are easy to manoeuvre around the garden and are compact in nature, so the hose is easy to store away on a hose hanger, reel or cart, helping to keep the garden tidy and clutter-free all year-round.
The inclusion of Hozelock’s Quick Connect System means that Tuffhoze and Superhoze are both compatible with a wide range of hose ends and accessories, making it quick and easy for consumers to adjust to different hose ends, such as a spray gun, to suit the task in hand.
After a fantastic GLEE 2019, the team at Treadstone Products is looking forward to being back at the NEC this September...
After a fantastic GLEE 2019, the team at Treadstone Products is looking forward to being back at the NEC this September.
“We can’t wait to show customers old and new our new developments for the 2022 season” explains Dean Winters, Treadstone’s Head of Brands.
“2020 and 2021 have certainly been challenging, but at the same time, like many in the industry we’ve had 2 record years and we know the new products we are launching will ensure 2022 proves to be just as successful”.
Treadstone will be launching new ranges and products across all 3 of their brands:
ClipGlove – the multi-award winning garden glove range.
Peter Rabbit – children’s gardening and outdoor fun.
The Good Life – core garden sundries.
“We are back in hall 8, stand A41, but this year we’ve increased our space by over 30%” explained Dean “we’re excited by the design of the new space and are really looking forward to showing the industry what we are planning to fill it with!”
This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Creative Products, who are seeking a hard-working, dedicated full time merchandiser/area representative to look after the company's accounts across London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey....
Field Sales (Retail Support)
This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Creative Products.
We are a well-established, fast growing, Instore TV promotion company selling an exciting range of FMCG products using instore TV advertising to maximise sales.
We are seeking a hard-working, dedicated full time merchandiser/area representative to look after our accounts across London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
Our customers are predominantly garden centres but also include High Street and out of town retailers.
Dobbies has announced the winners of its first-ever ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards. With the aim to find the best and most dedicated gardeners from across the UK, the awards showcase those with creativity, commitment and passion in gardening, the 2021 Not Your Average Gardener winners are...
Dobbies has announced the winners of its first-ever ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards.
Judged by gardener, journalist and Dobbies’ podcast host Louise Midgely, and Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles, the duo have found six gardening stars across the UK who will each receive a £250 Giftcard to spend on gardening goods in their local store, as well as a consultation with one of the judges.
With the aim to find the best and most dedicated gardeners from across the UK, the awards showcase those with creativity, commitment and passion in gardening.
The 2021 Not Your Average Gardener winners are;
Olivia Jayne Robinson (13) from Birtley, Best Young Gardener Award (above)
Growing Places from Waterlooville, Hampshire, Best Little Seedling Award
Margaret Spencer from Liverpool, Best Community Gardener
Pauline Wainwright from Loughborough, Most Instagrammable Garden Award (above)
Ella Gibson (above) from Stonehouse, Best Mini Garden Make-over Award
Kylie Walker (45) from Llanelli, Wales, Dobbies Best New Gardener 2021 Award (above)
Marcus Eyles, Horticulture Director at Dobbies, said: “It’s been incredibly inspiring to see so many passionate gardeners get involved and enter our first-ever ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards. With so many entries it is safe to say that judging these wonderfully talented gardeners was no easy task. It has been heart-warming to see friends and families nominate one another, showing a true sense of community spirit.
“We’ve taken into consideration detailed descriptions of every entry to reach our final decision and crown our very worthy winners. Their hard work and passion for gardening certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed and I hope they enjoy spending their prize at their local store, which will help their green space flourish even more.
“A huge thank you to everyone who entered and made our ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards so special.”
Garden Centre Association members will find out who has come out on top in its annual inspections this year at regional award meetings taking place over the week ahead...
Staff at Monkton Elm Garden Centre with their 2019 GCA awards.
Garden Centre Association members will find out who has come out on top in its annual inspections this year at regional award meetings taking place over the week ahead.
Garden centres are encouraged to attend the event in their area to celebrate the efforts and achievements of their team members during this difficult year. Inspections were cancelled last year because of the pandemic.
Iain Wylie, chief executive of the GCA, said inspectors had been able to make Covid-safe visits to garden centres to complete their annual inspections this year, although later than normal.
“These inspections are important to our members as they receive feedback and can see where our inspectors are highlighting best practice and new exciting ideas. We will also be announcing all the category winners,” he added.
The Wales and the West Area award meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 24 at Pugh’s Garden Centre, Wenvoe (The Vale) where the inspector attending will be Gordon Emslie.
Gordon will also be presenting for the Midlands region on Wednesday, August 25 at Stratford Garden Centre.
The Scotland and Northern Ireland region will meet at Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre on Thursday, August 26 with inspector Colin Farquhar.
The following week on Tuesday, August 31 inspector Phil McCann will present his findings at Haskins Snowhill for South Thames.
The North Thames area meets on Wednesday, September 1, venue to be confirmed, with inspector Andy Campbell.
The last area awards meeting will be held on Thursday, September 2 for the North East & North West region with inspector Alyson Haywood at Tong Garden Centre
Iain added: “Many GCA members have said that our unique annual inspections and constructive feedback sessions are one of the biggest benefits of membership. It is a fantastic motivational and management tool and really keeps staff on their toes, making sure they are always doing their absolute best.
“Garden centres receive no advance warning about when their inspection will take place and they do not have the option to turn away the inspector. It is all about making sure they are offering a consistently excellent service and improving their customer service standards, which is what all GCA garden centres must do to remain members.
“The results of the inspections form the basis for many GCA awards, including Destination Garden Centre of the Year, Garden Centre of the Year, Area Winners, Highly Commended and Most improved Garden Centre. The top 10 centres will receive a Garden Centre of Excellence Award and all centres scoring 75% or above receive the Highly Commended certificate.”
Taylors Bulbs are gearing up for what promises to be a busy season with high consumer demand for spring flowering bulbs. But, with the dual impacts of a cold, dry spring giving a late growing cycle and then heavy rain just before harvest was due to begin, the bulb harvesting programme is currently running two weeks behind what would be considered a normal season...
Taylors Bulbs are gearing up for what promises to be a busy season with high consumer demand for spring flowering bulbs. But, with the dual impacts of a cold, dry spring giving a late growing cycle and then heavy rain just before harvest was due to begin, the bulb harvesting programme is currently running two weeks behind what would be considered a normal season.
Varieties that would usually be ready for despatch in mid-August are only just being harvested and the impact on deliveries is likely to be a 10–14 day delay to planned delivery schedules.
Adam Taylor, director of Taylors Bulbs, said: “We are experiencing an extraordinary season with unprecedented delays for bulb harvesting. The growing season was late because of a cold, dry spring and then just as harvest was to begin, many bulb growing areas received exceptionally heavy downpours. Some areas received 130mm of rainfall in 36 hours and this has delayed and slowed harvest but it has also meant that the drying process has taken longer as well.
“Although later than normal, the British grown daffodil harvest is now complete and grading is well-under way, but it is our bulbs grown in mainland Europe that were hit particularly hard by the wet weather that made such awful headlines in Germany. We would encourage customers to unpack deliveries as soon as they arrive and display and store their bulbs in a well-ventilated place to help keep them in the best condition. We thank our customers for their understanding of the delays and look forward to a successful selling season.”
Taylors are exhibiting at Glee on 14-16 September at the NEC. “We are looking forward to Glee and being at a trade show for the first time in two years. It will be great to see familiar faces and to get to grab that person walking by for a catch-up”, added Taylor.
Residents in communities across the UK are being asked to vote for their favourite local community gardening project to receive support from Dobbies, the UK’s largest garden centre retailer...
Residents in communities across the UK are being asked to vote for their favourite local community gardening project to receive support from Dobbies, the UK’s largest garden centre retailer.
A shortlist of deserving community projects has been chosen for Helping Your Community Grow, Dobbies’ landmark community support initiative. The scheme, launched earlier this year, aims to work with existing groups to create new or revamped green spaces around the UK.
The store teams selected the shortlist in their area on the basis that they best represent an opportunity to create an enhanced green space that will benefit the local area, but the final choice is now down to local residents as they are encouraged to have their say and vote for their favourite on the Dobbies’ website.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “It’s a landmark initiative for us and we are proud to be helping so many community projects across the country create green spaces that benefit their local areas.”
The winning projects will receive support, products and equipment from their local Dobbies store. The project with the most votes, from all areas across the UK, will be the national winner and receive additional support.
The public vote closes on 29 August and winners will be announced in September.
Garden furniture manufacturer EKJU is offering a range of home delivery-ready products to help retailers with online sales as well as traditional in-store sales...
EKJU, manufacturer of sustainable garden furniture, is offering a range of home delivery-ready products to help retailers with online sales as well as traditional in-store sales.
The E-commerce range, launched in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the retail climate, came just in time with all sizes of retailers having to re-adjust their approach to sales as garden spending increased and online buying grew. According to AMA Research, there was a 25% increase in UK gardening product purchases online in 2020. Some consumers now look to buy online first before visiting stores.
EKJU uses specialist home delivery transit packaging, making the home delivery process quicker, reducing delivery times and protecting products more effectively. EKJU says encouraging sales in the last 12 months suggest the Ecommerce range has never been a more relevant sales solution for the garden trade – for experienced ecommerce sellers and those who have had to adapt to distance selling.
EKJU has paid extra attention to ensuring products sold online are as dry as possible pre delivery and during transit. Sturdy cardboard and strong strapping keeps the product compact during transit. Other features include air holes for ventilation, flat-packs with full instructions, clear product labelling and guided drill holes and quality fixings to aid self-assembly.
EKJU says its mission is to create garden furniture that is crafted with the care and attention needed to ensure the product lasts as long as it takes to grow a new tree. Products use FSC timber from northern European forests. This live wood is stronger due to its slow growth, ideal for use on garden furniture for its high density and durable qualities. EKJU also use kiln drying and pressure treatment.
EKJU will be exhibiting at Glee 2021 (NEC Birmingham 14 - 16 September) on stand 6H20-J21.
Why does Hobby & Handmade have the WoW Factor? Find out at Glee Ahead of a range launch, Sammy Holman, managing director of gifts company Hobby & Handmade, tells us why his company sets out to make a life-changing difference to people suffering from autism and those with learning difficulties.
When the pandemic hit, it rocked all our lives - but for some people, life was already a challenge before coronavirus. Enter Hobby and Handmade, a company dedicated to giving them a helping hand while supplying retailers with a refreshingly different product range...
Most people’s worlds were ticking along, until coronavirus hit. The day the world came to a complete halt was weird and totally unforeseeable. This has been the toughest 18 months of a lot of people’s lives; some have lost loved ones, including ourselves, and some have been locked away seeing no-one for weeks and months. Old people became vulnerable, food became short, normality started to disappear as the virus spread like wild. Today we are still trying to get used to living in the “New Normal”.
But image this just for a minute… how life was for some before coronavirus. You wake up in the morning, you're confused, the sun is shining bright and the birds are singing, everything seems ‘normal’. But not if you are autistic or have a learning difficulty the world is never normal! I am 55 and autistic, my journey through life has been often very tough indeed, The challenges I face, the battles I have fought, the fall-out with people I have suffered, are too many to count! As sometimes the quietest of noise feels like a disco in my head, the smallest of problems are a mountain to climb, and the confusion and whizzing in my brain is constant, and continues day and night until my brain decides to go to sleep. I often feel tired when I wake, I often feel emotionally drained for no reason, I often feel lost and confused and terrified of the day ahead. These debilitating scenarios are played out daily for people with autism, ASD or ADHD or any other learning. For young adults who are trying to enter into the World of Work, it's not such a WoW factor…it’s more of an emotionally crushing sensation that causes all of the above.
But Hobby and Handmade are helping with making this move into the world of work less. We are joining forces with Strathmore College in Stoke on Trent, where we are based. The college provides bespoke study programmes for young people aged 16 to 25 years old with a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including:
Other health related, mental or physical difficulties
We will help by offering work placements in our our woodcraft, foraging, printing and packing departments. We will help with hand eye coordination, confidence building, provide coping mechanisms and team building for the learners and their teachers. We are doing this as I need and want to show the world that being autistic is not such a gigantic hurdle…and the size of that hurdle can be reduced to a step, over time! Don’t get me wrong but at 55 years old I have had to jump so many hurdles and still do today; sometimes I speak, sometimes I don’t! Some days I can engage with people and some days I just scream both inside and out. My temper can be uncontrollable and my fears bigger than any hurdle and high as the world’s largest mountain! I have no control over how I am going to feel.
However, what I have done is concentrate on my job as a graphic designer and woodcrafter. I have a love of nature, conservation and the great outdoors. I love animals and wildlife and all things that are part of our natural environment, especially those that need saving. Like the bees! I have created and designed and developed “Betty Bumbles Magic Seed Balls” and “Queen Betty is the Boss”: she is leading the way to teach children and adults alike why keeping the bees safe and growing their numbers is so important!
Betty Bumble is a 5in box of magic, inside which are seed balls, a bag of magic seeds and a booklet filled with information about bees, activities to complete and the history of the lifecycle of the bee. Our sets are interactive, educational and more than just a seed ball. The H&H WoW learners will make the magic balls, pack the boxes ready for sale into garden centres and retailers. We are launching these magic seeds balls – and revealing its main secret – at Glee.
The set comes with a poem I have written and a merchandise range to support Betty and Friends (other wildlife animals and insects that are also on the conservation danger list; we will add to the range over time)
We are truly excited about this project; it will make a great gift for Christmas and it’s a superb product for gardeners, kids and anyone who just wants to jump in and help to “save the bees” I am honoured to be able to help these young adults who have their own daily battles to overcome.
I have also designed a distinctly different range of wildlife houses and feeders for birds, hedgehogs and insects. We have 26 in the range, all made by the H&H WoW Learners and myself. We have already landed our first order with a major garden centre and hope that many more follow suit. The learners go foraging for the components for the insect houses, so we find pine cones, bark and acorns to add to the boxes, we then add fallen branches and drill holes for the insects to live. Every inch of our insect houses are natural, literally picked off a forest floor. Then as a team we cut the wood, glue the wood, staple the wood, add screws and and send it out with love towards its new home.
We also already make more than 11,000 hobby clothing and gift ranges for retailers to add something different to their offers. We design and print in-house. We offer a print on demand service to all our retailers if they need it. We make furniture, crates, planters, and outside bars, as well as a vast clothing range of T-shirts, hoodies, and giftware galore.
These words have been really hard to write (the English terrible and the grammar even worse) but the need to help others is paramount. I want to show the world that having a disability or disorder or difficulty is NOT the end of the world if you can be guided and shown the way.
Manufacturer of sustainable Garden Furniture, EKJU is now offering a range of products to help retailers with their online sales, as well as providing stock for traditional in-store sales. The Ecommerce range is packaged ready for home delivery meaning they can supply the same quality EKJU products already prepared for customer home deliveries...
Manufacturer of sustainable Garden Furniture, EKJU is now offering a range of products to help retailers with their online sales, as well as providing stock for traditional in-store sales. The Ecommerce range is packaged ready for home delivery meaning they can supply the same quality EKJU products already prepared for customer home deliveries.
EKJU first launched the Ecommerce range in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the retail climate. This range came just in time with all sizes of retailers having to re-adjust their approach to sales. As more people were at home, spending on garden products increased and the only way to buy was online. According to AMA Research there was a 25% increase in UK gardening product purchases online in 2020. Online purchasing has never been easier, and some consumers now look to buy online first before visiting stores.
With EKJU retailers can purchase best-selling furniture lines prepared in specialist home delivery transit packaging so retailers don’t need to worry about any specialist packing costs making the home delivery process quicker, reducing delivery times and protecting products more effectively. With some encouraging sales in the last 12 months, EKJU believe the Ecommerce range has never been a more relevant sales solution for the garden trade, for experienced ecommerce sellers and those who have had to adapt to distance selling.\
The devil is in the detail
EKJU have paid extra attention to ensure that products sold online are as dry as possible pre delivery and during transit, arriving safely to retail partners. The Ecommerce range is packaged using sturdy cardboard and strong strapping to ensure the product is kept compact during transit. Other features to make the end user experience positive include:
Air holes in the side of the box that keep the treated timber inside ventilated.
Products coming flat packed with full instructions.
Clear product labelling as standard.
Products having guided drill holes and quality fixings to aid self-assembly.
EKJU’s mission is to create garden furniture that is crafted with the care and attention needed to ensure the product lasts as long as it takes to regrow a new tree. Their products are constructed using FSC timber that grows in the northern European forests. This live wood is high quality and stronger due to its slow growth, ideal for use on garden furniture for its high density and durable qualities. EKJU also use Kiln drying and pressure treatment to ensure that the finished product is protected and ready to be used in outdoor environments.
Now’s the time to think online
With a solid reputation and ongoing ambition to supply quality timber furniture, the Ecommerce range offers a useful sales solution for the garden trade, whether it’s for experienced ecommerce sellers or customers who have had to recently adapted their consumer offering due to social distancing.
EKJU will be exhibiting at Glee 2021, NEC Birmingham 14th – 16th September. The team will be on hand to discuss and showcase the instore and Ecommerce range on STAND 6H20-J21. If you would like to know further information, please visit www.ekju.com to get in touch.
Autumn Fair opens in two weeks’ time, offering this year’s most spectacular opportunity for retailers to see so many new and exclusive Gift brands, discover the hottest trends, and do business in person. There is also a new official app...
The Seed Cad Company Christmas offering for Autumn Fair.
Staging the largest gathering of Gift products in one place incorporating Gift, Beauty & Wellbeing, Kid’s Toys and Play and Greetings, as well as fantastic crossover buying opportunities between Home, Summerhouse, and Fashion sectors, Autumn Fair opens in two weeks’ time, offering this year’s most spectacular opportunity for retailers to see so many new and exclusive Gift brands, discover the hottest trends, and do business in person.
Autumn Fair has launched an official App, designed as an easy-to-use handy digital show guide to give visitors even more information before the show, to help them get the most out of their visit, and to aid with on-site navigation. Powered by Grip, the app uses AI-technology to offer product recommendations based on unique interests, enables searches for exhibitors to find out their stand number and location, whilst the in-built interactive floorplan map helps visitors to navigate their way around the show and the Sustainability and Made in Britain Product Trails. It can also bookmark and save exhibitors, products, and seminars from the theatre timetable to individual profiles. All registered visitors get instant access to the app, using this link.
Thousands of buyers have already pre-registered for Autumn Fair indicating a huge appetite for the newness and exclusives that the show is renowned for. Sought-after new brands to the Gift sector include Rex London who is celebrating its 40th anniversary, Allied Imports which is showcasing Orla Kiely for the first time, as well as Find Your Glow, Opticaid, Grange Street, Potter’s Crouch, Scentiment Gifts, Welsh Connection, Bispol Candles, Go La La, and The 3D Factory.
In a new direction for its global business, accessories brand Claire’s will showcase its latest trend collections within its concession space model which offers over 10,000 SKUs, as well as fixtures and staffing. Arts on Scarves launches its new scarf range and designs for the first time at Autumn Fair. The Seed Card Company launches a stunning new greeting card collection called Nature Always Wins and its new post-consumer waste Christmas wrapping paper designs which coordinate with the Christmas card collection, and Ceramic Design Heritage offers a first view of its bespoke heritage collection.
Pictured right: the Beeswax Wrap Co Kath Kidston Collection.
Also showing their new collections exclusively at Autumn Fair this year are Richard Lang & Son. Keith Edmondson, Joint MD says; "Getting back to the much-loved trade show environment will be an occasion I am sure everyone is looking forwards to (I know I am!). Throughout the past 12 months the previously taken for granted face to face interaction has been missed massively, and I look forward to welcoming our amazing customers, new and old, to our stand at Autumn Fair once again."
Not to be missed within the Gift sector is the #SBS Pavilion. Autumn Fair continues its long-standing partnership with Theo Paphitis’ #SBS Small Business Sunday, supporting small independent businesses as they launch into the marketplace. Visitors will be treated to these 11 incredible up and coming designers and brands: Bring A Book to Life, Arcform, Alexia Claire, Kind2, Zac & Bella Fashion, Cushy Paws, Kate O’Brien Art, Lizzie Martell Illustration, Rose May, Canterbury Brewers, and Leo Charley & Me, as they make their first steps into business.
For even more new and first-time exhibitors make a beeline for the Gift First area, featuring Amaura London, Crafty You Crafty Me, Katherine Sheard Art, The Candle Brand, UK Telescopes, and Ibadah London. Amaura London’s eco home fragrances are luxurious, sustainably made, mood-boosting and lovingly hand-poured in the UK. Its artisan candle vessels are hand-rolled using recycled and reusable metallics and have been designed with modern luxury decor in mind. W’ZIS launches an exciting range of natural, plant-based, low calorie dog treats, and Ibadah London is an award-winning Islamic gifts and lifestyle brand founded by stay-at-home mum of two, Mariam, fusing faith with design to curate innovative and contemporary luxury gifts.
Regular Autumn Fair visitors will be delighted to see established favourites at the show including Joe Davies, Sifcon, Lesser & Pavey, Sass & Belle, Puckator, Candlelight, Fizz Creations, East of India, Richard Lang & Son/Lang’s, The Lagoon Group, Ashleigh & Burwood, Mad Beauty, Half Moon Bay, The Straits Trading Co, Aromatize, Giftware Trading, Nemesis Now, and Price’s Candles. For those sourcing Sustainable and Made in Britain gifts, use the Products Trails to discover brands including The Sugar Shed, Bumble Wrap, The Beeswax Wrap Company, The Giggle Gift Company, Pintail Candles, and St Eval Candle Co.
For buyers looking for the hottest new must-have toys and gadgets, a host of leading brands will be on show including Rainbow Designs, House of Marbles, Winning Moves, Keel Toys, TY UK, Cheatwell Games, Thames & Kosmos, Rachel Lowe, Grossman, Whitehouse Leisure, Kidicraft, Alphabet Jigsaw, Child’s Play International, Squelch, Bakedin, Craft Buddy, GetRetro, and Cartamundi UK.
Showing for the first time at Autumn Fair are Jigsaw Puzzles, Bachmann Europe, SES Creative, Click Europe, and Willsow. Within Toy First, an introductory new platform for up-and-coming designers, buyers will discover MAI clothing, Fabula Toys, Treasure Map Trails, and Colour Chronicles.
For more information and to find out more about the Gift sector exhibitor line-up visit the website.
Darlac has donated tools worth more than £1,300 to the Chelsea Pensioners for a summer programme that encourages veterans at The Royal Hospital Chelsea to enjoy a spot of gardening...
Darlac, the cutting tools experts, has donated tools worth more than £1,300 to the Chelsea Pensioners for their summer gardening programme, which encourages veterans at The Royal Hospital Chelsea to enjoy a spot of gardening.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is home to nearly 300 men and women who are veterans of the British Army and has had allotments and garden spaces for use by the Pensioners since its establishment in 1692 by Charles II
Amongst the tools was the Snapper, created for accessing just-out-of-reach spots safely from the ground rather than on a ladder and also ideal for wheelchair users.
Jimmy, a 92 year-old resident of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a keen gardener who enjoys tending his roses, has difficulty reaching higher branches of climbing roses as he is mostly wheelchair-bound. The Darlac Snapper has provided him with more independence, as well as enabling him to keep gardening.
Alan McLaren, head of corporate and business development at The Royal Hospital Chelsea, said: “Jimmy often has to get help from others when he’s out in the gardens, which can be quite frustrating for him, so it was great to see him enjoying being able to garden on his own and escape to his own world for a little while. The provision of these tools means a great deal to the Pensioners at The Royal Hospital Chelsea, and to the carers who see them every day, as it gives them their own freedom, and the accessible design of the tools means they can become immersed in their gardening for just that bit longer.”
Plant pot producer elho, has expanded the possibilities of technology at home with its range of illuminated plant pots that can be controlled remotely through its app...
Technology continues to have a significant impact on the way we live. With voice activated speakers and app-controlled heating transforming homes into smart hubs, every want and need within the home can seemingly be controlled without even moving a muscle. Sustainable plant pot producer, elho, has added to the possibilities of technology at home with its range of illuminated plant pots, that can be controlled through its app.
Combining the beauty of nature with modern day architecture, elho’s ‘pure’ range offers a collection of plant pots that come with built-in coloured LED lights, to create beautifully ambient surroundings. The rotational moulded products are carefully hand-finished to achieve a seamless look. The use of polyethylene plastic ensures the pots are strong yet lightweight, unbreakable and frost and UV resistant and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
With an estimated 40,000-hour life, each LED can deliver brilliant colour – including hues of blue, pink, green and yellow - that can be altered remotely through the elho app to suit the desired ambience. A timer can schedule a daily flair of colour with ease.
The pure range is available in four shapes - soft round, grade, cone and straight. For contemporary spaces, the soft round and cone design would make elegant additions with their fluid shape and soft edges, whilst the grade design would suit more traditional décor thanks to its structured lines. The straight design includes a smaller, 40cm pot in addition to its 50cm model, making it ideal for interiors use, especially in a smaller living space.
The Original Muck Boot Company and My Little Allotment have partnered to create a unique garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show that focuses on the importance of growing your own plants, vegetables and the therapeutic benefit of gardening...
The Original Muck Boot Company and My Little Allotment have partnered to create a unique garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show that focuses on the importance of growing your own plants, vegetables and the therapeutic benefit of gardening.
So if growing your own plants and vegetables is a hobby or gardening is what you do for a living, the Original Muck Boot Company’s Outscape collection offers a balance between the waterproof boot you need and the lightweight trainers you want.
With a wide range of styles and fits to choose from, this RHS-approved casual footwear collection is 100% waterproof.
Men’s Outscape Short Bootsis a practical slip-on boot with a breathable mesh lining, a lightweight midsole and a self-cleaning rubber outsole.
Men’s Outscape Shoes are designed to be worn like trainers, keeping you comfortable with its dual density footbed with memory foam, plus NZYM for odour control and moisture management.
Women’s Outscape Short Boots In a frost grey colour are ankle boots fully lined with Muckskin neoprene for flexibility and have a guarden rubber toe and heel for durability.
Women’s Outscape Shoes are slip-on shoes perfect for keeping by the back door, with a lightweight midsole and self-cleaning rubber outsole.
Smart’s band of Singing Elves, a.k.a. The Wrappers, are already despatching seasonal deliveries to the UK’s garden centres…and, as in previous years, it is impossible to miss their distinctive pallet-wraps...
It’s August, so that means….Christmas!
Smart’s band of Singing Elves, a.k.a. The Wrappers, are already despatching seasonal deliveries to the UK’s garden centres…and, as in previous years, it is impossible to miss their distinctive pallet-wraps!
Smart says the Three Kings Christmas brand is going from strength to strength with more and more well-priced, fast-selling products being added. Customers have also been incredibly supportive, most taking time out to visit Smart’s grotto-esque showrooms.
Meanwhile their industrious Product Elves are swept off their feet arranging the next, 2022 Christmas Cornucopia, which will be unveiled later this year…..so watch this space!
As there will now be a break with no live football on TV until Sunday, it's coming home, how about gorging yourself on a smörgåsbord board of SOLEX videos. Here's the SOLEX SUN video showreel...
As there will now be a break with no live football on TV until Sunday, it's coming home, how about gorging yourself on a smörgåsbord board of SOLEX videos. Here's the SOLEX SUN video showreel, enjoy! And if you want to watch even more just go to the SOLEX On-Line website and watch to your hearts content.
The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has introduced a new module on identifying hazardous plants through its Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) learning platform...
The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has introduced a new module on identifying hazardous plants through its Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) learning platform.
The ‘Poisonous Plants’ GROW module highlights indoor and outdoor plants that are dangerous to humans and pets.
Antony Snow (pictured), instructional designer for GROW at the GCA, said a surprising number of indoor and outdoor plants popular with customers posed a hazard to humans and pets alike. “This module has been produced to help employees identify these plants, provide their customers with the best advice for staying safe around them, as well as what to do if a colleague or customer becomes affected by them,” he added.
The GROW modules cover a range of topics to help employees gain knowledge and confidence in products and services to provide customers with the best advice.
The new module is available immediately to existing subscribers and the GROW e-learning facility is available to GCA member garden centres, as well as Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) garden centre members.
Iain Wylie, GCA chief executive, said: “Many of our members have commented on how effective our service has been to bring education and training to employees, which improves their knowledge to assist others in the workplace, whether colleagues or customers.
“It’s available 24/7, so garden centre staff can update their expertise when it’s suitable for them. It’s a cost-effective way of delivering training and personal developments too, which, in turn, benefits customers’ experiences when visiting a garden centre and this is good for everyone.”
GROW is a self-funding and non-profit making facility with any surpluses reinvested into the ongoing development and improvement. There are Currently 99 modules, all written by experts in their field, and more than 13,000 users.
Topics cover horticulture, customer service, food safety, regulated sales and health and safety.
Other modules in the pipeline include ‘Allergens’ and ‘Manual Handling’, which will both complement and expand the existing training within the Food Safety and Health and Safety categories and will be designed, as always, with a garden centre environment in mind, while covering legalities and best practice.
Garden centres can sign up to GROW on the website or contact Antony or GCA CEO Iain Wylie to arrange an on-site demonstration or guest access.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has partnered with licensee Hug Rug for the RHS Hug Rug Collection, a range of eco-friendly barrier mats and runners in a wide variety of designs...
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has partnered with licensee Hug Rug for the RHS Hug Rug Collection, a range of eco-friendly barrier mats and runners in a wide variety of designs.
This range of nature-inspired mats, ideal for garden lovers, has been exclusively designed for the new collection, promoting themes of the outdoors, nature, and sustainability.
The designs are Woodblock (mat and runner); Bugs and Butterflies (mat only); Garden Floral (mat only); Autumn Leaves (mat and runner) and Garden Tools Green (mat only). Garden Floral will be available in two colour options. All mats are 65x85cm. The runners are 65x150cm.
The collection is due to launch on the 1 September, with a second launch in October when another Woodblock colour option will be available, along with a new design, New Garden Vegetables. All designs will be available on the Hug Rug website, Hug At Home, in garden centres and at independent retailers. They will also be stocked, at a later date, in RHS stores and on the RHS website.
The RHS brand will be highlighted on stickers using the RHS logos on the packaging. The partnership will be highlighted on the Hug Rug website.
The target audience is women aged 30-60 years old, usually with a family and pets. However, the range boasts a strong appeal to homeowners in.
Hug Rug was chosen by the RHS not just for its durability and quality – it is an award-winning brand – but for its strong environmental and ethical trading credentials. It is described by Hug Rug as “the most environmentally friendly barrier mat on the market”.
All the mats are made with up to 90 per cent recycled content using recycled t-shirts in the cotton tufting, recycled plastic bottles to create an extra tough membrane and recycled industrial plastic in the backing. The Yorkshire-based factory in which the mats are made and designed is zero waste to landfill. The company uses cleaner and greener energy sources from hydro pumps, windmill farms and solar, so the mats are made as environmentally friendly as possible.
Hug Rugs are also machine washable, super absorbent and great at trapping dirt, dust and mud.
The board of the novelty plants showcase organised by the Nursery Trade Fair Foundation has accepted 29 novelty entries for judging at this month’s GROEN-Direkt trade fair, in the absence of Plantarium...
The board of the novelty plants showcase organised by the Nursery Trade Fair Foundation has accepted 29 novelty entries for judging at this month’s GROEN-Direkt trade fair, in the absence of Plantarium.
The novelties will be judged by a professional jury from the Koninklijke Vereniging voor Boskoopse Culturen (The Royal Society for Boskoop Cultures). The Best Novelty 2021 will be announced on 25 August, the first day of the two-day GROEN-Direkt event.
The fair is expected to be visited by a large buying public and offers a fine platform to showcase novelties. The fair is open from 7:30 to 16:00 each day at Noorwegenlaan 37 in Hazerswoude-Dorp .
The Nursery Trade Fair Foundation aims to promote trade in nursery stock products and regards showcasing novelties as an extremely important element of its work.
The SOLEX Brochure and Floor Plan will remain on the SOLEX website so you can always re visit if you want to re connect with any of exhibitors or find out what’s on offer next season...
The SOLEX Brochure and Floor Plan will remain on the SOLEX website so you can always re visit if you want to re connect with any of exhibitors or find out what’s on offer next season.
LOFA Marketing Manager Gina Hinde told SOLEX SUN: "Another Virtual SOLEX has been and gone. The online event kicked off on Tuesday 6th July, and over the three days we had just over 4,000 visitors to our SOLEX website, online brochure and virtual floor plan which is amazing, and a whopping 14,800 of you opened the GTN SOLEX SUN viewing almost 20,000 pages, which are amazing stats and we are, as always, very grateful for the support everyone has shown us, and taking the time to visit and interact with our exhibitors.
"We hope everyone enjoyed it and we look forward to welcoming you all back to the NEC next year, Halls 17/18/19, 12-14 July 2022."
The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
Bill Bickerdike, one of "the gang" of garden centre pioneers in the UK, has died aged 83.
He passed away peacefully last Wednesday evening at home after a short illness, with his family around him...
Bill Bickerdike, one of "the gang" of garden centre pioneers in the UK, has died aged 83.
He passed away peacefully last Wednesday evening at home after a short illness, with his family around him.
Bill's son Mark, who set up and runs Bikerdikes Garden Centre in Letchworth told GTN Xtra: "Dad and Bob were the old school, part of "the gang". They were true pioneers and he often told me that they had no idea what they were doing but they had fun. Inflation was so high back then that any mistakes one year were worth more the next year.
"Sandy was built in 1972/73 solely as a garden centre, possibly the first purpose built garden centre in the UK.
"Dad retired at 59 when Sandy was sold for housing but he was always here when we needed him and continued to offer sound advice right the way through to the end.
"His motto was "Never say no... say yes to as much as you can" and he certainly lived life to the full, sailing the Atlantic after retiring and skiing through untill he was 80."
Bill's funeral will be at 10:30 on Friday 27th August,at St Swithun's Church, Sandy, Bedfordshire. SG19 1AQ
According to Debbie Bickerdike's facebook post, Bill requested a colourful funeral with no black ties.
Debbie has also shared a video from 3 years ago on his 80th birthday, so you can all enjoy his zest for life and how to live life to the full! Listen to his lovely comments at the end of the video. https://www.facebook.com/debbie.bickerdike.3
The Thompson & Morgan seeds and plants business is being prepared for sale by its owners, Brecon-based multi-channel retailer BVG Group, according to some internet reports. The price tag could be up to £200 million...
Internet reports suggest that the Thompson & Morgan seeds and plants business is being prepared for sale by its owners, the Brecon-based multi-channel retailer BVG Group.
Speculation first appeared on the ‘This is Money’ website at the end of July. The site quoted city sources as reporting that BVG had appointed KMPG to advise on ‘strategic options’ that could lead to a sale. Bankers were said to have estimated the value of the business at £150 to £200 million. Some observers believe the high price could be an obstacle to any sale.
After T&M acquired rival brand Suttons (which included Dobies and the Orghanic Gardening Catalogue) in November 2020, BVG’s joint MD Chris Wright (pictured) said the combined business had the potential to generate full-year revenues of £80 million, far and away the biggest plants businesses for the UK’s online/mail order channel.
The move is thought to be a desire to cash in after a year of ultra-buoyant sales driven by high demand for gardening products during the pandemic lockdowns. The brand recently received major investment from the Business Growth Fund, which buys stakes in small and medium-sized businesses.
T&M, Britain’s oldest mail order plants and seeds business and a leading promoter of new species and cultivars, was set up in 1855 by baker’s son William Thompson, who later teamed up with John Morgan, a shrewd businessman.
There have been frequent changes of ownership. T&M was in the hands of the Sangster family from 1921 to 1999. Primary Capital funded a management buyout in 2002.
In the 1990s, a pioneering young plants mail order operation was established by hen-MD Paul Hansord and now makes a dominant contribution to turnover.
BVG claims to be Britain’s biggest multi-channel retailer of garden products and outdoor buildings. It says it is on track to clear sales of £150 million in the current year and earnings of £30 million. Its other brands include Waltons, Van Meuwen and Garden Gear. The group acquired T&M in 2017.
GTN Xtra’s attempt to obtain confirmation of a planned sale was dismissed by by a BVG sales agent, who said the story was unlikely to be true and declined to suggest a spokesman who could help with our enquiry.
Increased costs and restrictions on the UK horticulture industry to export to the EU have seen a marked drop in the value of trade in the first six months of the year, demonstrating a missed opportunity for the sector to grow its contribution to UK ‘green trade’...
Increased costs and restrictions on the UK horticulture industry to export to the EU have seen a marked drop in the value of trade in the first six months of the year, demonstrating a missed opportunity for the sector to grow its contribution to UK ‘green trade’.
Research conducted by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) shows that exports of live plants and plant materials* from the UK to the EU between January and June this year were valued at £9.7m, compared with £16m in the same period of 2019 – a decrease of 39%. Rest of the world sales have remained broadly static. This, says the HTA, shows that the although the EU is still the largest market for British horticultural products, the industry is not growing as it could. Extra new administrative costs and restrictions are resulting in British horticulture businesses choosing not to pursue markets in the EU.
“We had long suspected that this heavy-handed regime would put too many barriers in the way of those who had hoped to grow a customer base in Europe. Much of the £24bn horticulture industry is made up of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) who want to champion ‘green trade’ and export the hugely iconic British plants, seeds and trees we produce here. However, the bureaucratic obstacles and huge costs are making it business-sapping and unviable. This is preventing SMEs to grow and lead a post-Brexit trade renaissance,” said James Clark, Director of Policy and Communications at the HTA.
First-hand experiences of HTA members tell a story of businesses frustrated by problems transporting their live plants combined with the additional costs and complexity of inspections and necessary paperwork. These factors combined mean that it simply isn’t viable for many to trade with customers on the continent.
David Millais, who runs Millais Nurseries near Farnham in Surrey, said: “Before Brexit, we exported 5-10% of our production to botanic gardens and specialist plant centres, and to many repeat retail customers, who bought directly from our website. We redesigned our website to enable us to capitalise on this market and grew this part of the business by 20%. Brexit has completely stopped this. The disproportionate inspection and freight charges now mean there is no point in attempting to send small orders to Europe because the costs make exports unviable for all concerned.”
David Fryer, Head of Technical at seed company Mr Fothergill’s of Newmarket, explains the situation: “We’re having to spend so much time navigating the cost of inspections and certificates, the cost of planning and management and the risk of consignment delays or rejections, plus limitations on what we can export now and reduced customer confidence that we are unable to focus on growth in the EU while we manage these new ways of working.”
The HTA has launched a campaign called ‘Let Britain Grow’, calling for the Government to review existing inspection levels and costs and negotiate a plant health agreement between the UK and the EU. This will enable the multi-billion pound sector to boost the nation’s economic growth and fuel international trade post-Brexit.
Nominations for the Glee Buyers Power List Awards close on Tuesday 17th August, the winners will be celebrated at Glee 2021...
After eighteen months of all the challenges thrown at buyers and suppliers due to the COVID-19 pandemic Glee will be celebrating the best buyers of garden, leisure and pet products in the Glee Buyers Power List.
To acknowledge the immense pressure buyers have been under this year across the wide range of products the feature in garden, leisure and pet retailing there are ten Glee Buyers Power List categories this year and nominations can be made in any of the categories for buyers from independent garden centres and retailers, buyers of high street and DIY retailers and buyers from on-line retailers.
Nominations are coming in from from growers, suppliers, agents and wholesalers for the following categories of buyers and buying teams:
1. Plants buyer/buying team of the Year
2. Garden Care buyer/buying team of the Year
3. Outdoor Leisure buyer/buying team of the Year
4. Landscape buyer/buying team of the Year
5. Home & Gifts buyer/buying team of the Year
6. Pet buyer/buying team of the Year
7. Retail Food & Drinks buyer/buying team of the Year
8. Christmas buyer/buying team of the Year
9. Overall Multiple Garden Retailer Buying Team of the Year – 6 stores or more
10. Overall Independent Garden Centre Buying Team of the Year – up 5 stores
Nominations close on Tuesday 17th August after which voting will commence to decide the winners of the Glee Buyers Power List for 2021. Nominations can be made using the form in the July issue of GTN or on line using this link: Glee Buyers Power List 2021 nominations or by e-mail to: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk. All nominations will be handled in strictest confidence.
The Glee Buyers Power List has celebrated the excellence of buying in the Garden, Leisure and Pet markets annually since 2015, and the winners have included:
Aylett Nurseries, B&M, B&Q, Blue Diamond, Enchanted-Earth.com, Frosts, gardensite.co.uk, Grovewell Garden Centres, Haskins, Homebase, John Lewis, MacKenzie & Cruikshank, Notcutts, Perrywood, Primrose.co.uk, Richard Jacksons Garden, Stax, The Range and Waitrose.
The winners of the Glee Buyers Power List 2021 will be announced live at Glee 2021 on Wednesday 15th September 2021. See you there!
Nomination Form:
I nominate the following buyers/buying teams for the Glee Buyers Power List 2021:
All nominations will be handled in strictest confidence
Send your completed nomination form to Glee Buyers Power List c/o GTN, Potting Shed Press, Dairy Drove, Thorney, Peterborough PE6 0TX or e-mail your nominations to: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk by 17th August 2021 or vote on line using the On-LIne Glee Buyers Power List 2021 form
What a start to August! Sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Centre Epos data increased week on week by 3.3% and as well as being 38% up on the same week in 2019 they were 5% up on last year’s sales for the same week.
What a start to August! Sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Centre Epos data increased week on week by 3.3% and as well as being 38% up on the same week in 2019 they were 5% up on last year’s sales for the same week.
Last year we saw a small uplift during the first week of August but before that you have to go back to 2013 when there was a significant rise in sales at the start of August.
Non-core gardening sales appear to have been the big increase vs 2020, probably driven by increased visits for summer dining at garden centres. Wild Bird Care sales benefitted from increased footfall with Top 50 GTN chart volumes up by 30% on last year.
It will be interesting to see if non-core gardening sales continue to boom during the summer as more restrictions are lifted.
Please note our last week, year on year comparisons, below, are now back to 2020.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 32.
Garden Products Top 50 – down 21%
Growing Media Top 50 – down 35%
Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 32%
Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – up 30%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 32.
All Plants with Barcode index – down 17%
All Items with Barcode index – up 5%
See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts...
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.
The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.
As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.
Access is by subscription only. For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales. To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.
Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last week are here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers. Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.
Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.
GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.
Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.
Plastics recycling charity RECOUP has set aside a full session at its conference next month dedicated to the challenge of how to recycle more plastics films and flexibles in order to meet DEFRA targets...
The challenge of recycling plastics films and flexibles has long been debated, with collection, material sorting and end markets all needing development, investment, and energy to transform the circular outcomes for this plastic format.
In response, plastics recycling charity RECOUP has set aside a full session at its conference on 30 September dedicated to the topic. RECOUP’s view is there is no question that significantly much more household plastic film must be recycled if ambitious targets for plastic packaging recycling as outlined in DEFRA consultations are to be met.
To be able to collect the material, kerbside is almost certainly the most effective approach and there is enough research and international evidence to indicate that collection and sorting of household films and flexibles is possible. There is, however, a range of views regarding sensible timescales for implementation, who pays and how much. Solutions should be provided through the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reform, and collection consistency measures and, the industry would hope to hear more from DEFRA on this before the end of the year, with a plan that drives the opportunity forwards from 2024 while addressing the concerns raised through recent consultations.
Carole Taylor, Chair of LARAC, who will be moderating the session said: “The collection of plastic film and flexibles will be a challenge to local authorities if the sorting and end markets are not in place to be able to deal with the material collected. Ensuring the infrastructure is available to deal with films and flexibles is the first really important step which will give confidence to councils to be able to collect this material in a way that suits their local area.”
RECOUP say there is a need for a coordinated industry-led UK demonstration for recycling plastic films and flexibles at scale to prove which approaches work for UK kerbside systems, and to give confidence that the reprocessing and end market demand for this material exists and is developing.
Robbie Staniforth, innovation and policy director at Ecosurety, who is also due to speak in the session, said: “There are many obvious challenges with increasing the amount of flexible plastic packaging recycled, such as the varying nature of the material. However, the concerted industry focus in this area has opened up an array of opportunities for collecting, sorting, and reprocessing. With the government citing the introduction of mandatory household collections in the coming years, the Flexible Plastics Fund provides funding to scale up reprocessing in the interim.”
Stuart Foster, CEO at RECOUP, added “The recent developments in front of store film collections are very welcomed as a short to medium term solution and we will continue to support our retailer members with their initiatives. It will help provide confidence in quantities of recyclable material available, test end markets and provide additional confidence in planned investments, help citizens to become more familiar with film recycling behaviour, plus encourage the wider adoption of design for recycling by producers.”
Further details of the conference, where Tom Heap of BBC Countryfile will moderate sessions on the impact and response of the plastics recycling value chain on climate change and net zero aspirations, can be found here.
Any organisations wishing to become a member of RECOUP are encouraged to contact Rebecca Davis by email or enquire here.
Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Whilst visiting 
Today’s gardeners are looking to get more out of their garden hose; from length to kink-resistance and durability, as well as manoeuvrability and ease of storage.
Both products are easy to manoeuvre around the garden and are compact in nature, so the hose is easy to store away on a hose hanger, reel or cart, helping to keep the garden tidy and clutter-free all year-round.
Retailers interested in working with Treadstone Products can contact the company on 01978 664 667 or email 
EKJU has paid extra attention to ensuring products sold online are as dry as possible pre delivery and during transit. Sturdy cardboard and strong strapping keeps the product compact during transit. Other features include air holes for ventilation, flat-packs with full instructions, clear product labelling and guided drill holes and quality fixings to aid self-assembly.
Darlac, the cutting tools experts, has donated tools worth more than £1,300 to the Chelsea Pensioners for their summer gardening programme, which encourages veterans at The Royal Hospital Chelsea to enjoy a spot of gardening.
With a wide range of styles and fits to choose from, this RHS-approved casual footwear collection is 100% waterproof.
Antony Snow (pictured), instructional designer for GROW at the GCA, said a surprising number of indoor and outdoor plants popular with customers posed a hazard to humans and pets alike. “This module has been produced to help employees identify these plants, provide their customers with the best advice for staying safe around them, as well as what to do if a colleague or customer becomes affected by them,” he added.
The RHS brand will be highlighted on stickers using the RHS logos on the packaging. The partnership will be highlighted on the Hug Rug website.
After T&M acquired rival brand Suttons (which included Dobies and the Orghanic Gardening Catalogue) in November 2020, BVG’s joint MD Chris Wright (pictured) said the combined business had the potential to generate full-year revenues of £80 million, far and away the biggest plants businesses for the UK’s online/mail order channel.
