The Horticultural Trades Association has announced the launch of the Plant Retail Success Initiative, designed to support HTA members in maximising plant sales and related categories such as containers, growing media, and garden care through garden centres.

The initiative provides consumer insights, essential e-learning, and practical guidance to help retailers enhance their commercial performance while improving customer success with plant-related products. 

Fran Barnes, CEO of the HTA, said: "We’re pleased to have collaborated with the Garden Centre Association and our retail, grower, and manufacturer members to introduce the Plant Retail Success initiative. Plant Retail Success offers valuable insights, research, and training to support the growth of profitable plant retailing. By understanding, inspiring, and supporting the UK’s 30 million gardeners, we aim to provide members with the tools to keep customers engaged, drive repeat visits, and increase average transaction values." 

David Denny, HTA Director of Research & Insights, adds: “We’re delighted to be able to work with our members to bring together the knowledge and experience they have to drive strong plant sales.  Combined with the consumer research and retail data analysis the HTA can provide, this initiative shares practical examples and ideas for how we can all inspire and support gardeners’ success with plants. And when gardeners are inspired and succeed, the whole supply chain – growers, retailers, and manufacturers of related categories all reap the commercial returns in a challenging economic climate.” 

The Plant Retail Success initiative consolidates new and pre-existing materials to equip HTA members with the knowledge and strategies they need to thrive in an evolving market. When plants sell successfully, the entire supply chain benefits—from retailers and growers to manufacturers of related goods such as growing media, fertilisers, and containers. 

The HTA has collaborated closely with the Garden Centre Association, HTA’s committees, and individual HTA members to develop the Plant Retail Success initiative. This collaboration underscores the HTA's commitment to bringing businesses together across the supply chain for mutual success. 

The Plant Retail Success initiative provides HTA members with access to several key resources which help them to either: 

• Improve commercial performance within their businesses 
• Enhance customer success with the products they purchase 

These resources are designed to serve as flexible guidelines, offering valuable insights without being prescriptive. Members are encouraged to adapt the materials to fit their unique business needs. 

All resources within the Plant Retail Success initiative will be available for members to download through the HTA website. For further details visit hta.org.uk/plant-retail-success