Garden centre year-to-date sales for the first nine months of this year are running 9% down on 2011, according to the latest The HTA Market Update published this week.

The report says centre sales in September  were 3% up on September 2011 but October sales were down 8%.

The HTA stress that October 2011 was an exceptionally strong month with record high temperatures for the time of year. Compared to 2009 and 2010, October 2012 was 1% and 3% down to the same point in the year.

HTA’s director of marketing and communications, Andrew Maxted, said garden retail members were reporting encouraging sales of Christmas ranges this year.  “The sector can also draw comfort from the knowledge that the industry has previously rebounded from weak years such as the one we have experienced in 2012,” he said.

Compared to 2008, which saw an exceptionally wet spring and poor garden centre sales, the 2012 figures are up 9%. The following season saw a significant rebound, despite consumer confidence hitting a record low in spring 2009.

Maxted added: “Consumers will no doubt be looking forward to getting out in their gardens next year and this should be helped by the small but encouraging signs in the economy.”