Best year on record for garden centre volume sales
While the rest of UK retail, via the BRC, was reporting the worst trading for November and December on record with total sales down 0.9% compared with the same period in 2018, garden centres were trading at all time highs, according to GTN Bestsellers Epos data analysis.
During November and December 2019 the GTN Bestsellers All Sales index grew by 9% on 2018 and was 10% ahead of 2017 levels.
That great end to the year meant whole year volume sales growth for 2019 of 4.2% over 2018, setting a new record as recorded by GTN Bestsellers over the past 10 years.
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive British Retail Consortium, said: “2019 was the worst year on record and the first year to show an overall decline in retail sales.”
GTN Bestsellers says: “This just goes to show how in touch with their customers garden centres are and how well they are adapting to changing customer requirements. More and more people are visiting garden centres and spending more while they are there. A record year for volume sales shows the real growth potential of our sector.”