The April issue of HTA Market Update reports that garden centre sales to the end of February are up 2%. Garden centres traded strongly through January (up 10%) but fell back in February (down 3%) compared with 2011.
For 2011 as a whole garden centre sales, from those contributing to the HTA’s Garden Retail Monitor, increased by 7% compared with 2010.
Challenges do lie ahead with the economy and consumer confidence. Whilst inflation is falling it still outpaces wage increases and mortgage providers are increasing lending rates, further hitting disposable income. The early signs are that 2012 is set to be another tough year, though with opportunities still to achieve growth. Last year’s Royal Wedding did see a short spike in confidence, which suggests there may be tactical ‘feel-good’ spending windows around the Diamond Jubilee and Olympics.
HTA Director of Marketing and Communications, Andrew Maxted told The Landscaper, “It is very encouraging to see in the latest HTA Market Update that, despite pressures on household budgets and constrained retail spend in the garden sector overall, many garden centres sales not only held up but outpaced inflation last year”
www.the-hta.org.uk/marketinformation