Garden centre and nursery sales in the last quarter of 2011 were up on the previous year and that interest in grow your own looks to continue in 2012 according to the HTA Market Update
The data from the HTA’s Garden Retail Monitor reveals that sales were up 5% in October, 6% up in November and 12% up in December. The December increase is exaggerated slightly by the heavy snows of December 2010 which depressed sales. Even so December 2011 sales are up 7% on 2009. This represents a strong end to the year for garden retailers who continue to capitalise on their reputations for ‘doing Christmas well’ and for the full year sales were up 6%.
Interest in grow your own remained constant in 2011 compared with 2010 both regard to the number of people engaged and sales figures from garden retailers. Tomatoes continue to be the most grown GYO crop although other crops, including herbs, runner beans, onions and peppers are showing increases suggesting that existing GYO customers are expanding the range of what they grow.
www.the-hta.org.uk/marketinformation