The Horticultural Trades Association ( HTA ) put out its February monthly market update , which shows that despite the UK thriftiness ’s recently announced recession , garden retail persist in to show some unripened shoot to kick off the twelvemonth . The resilience is a persistence of some electropositive trends , which admit potent plant sales over the last year and a firm client base of gardeners that has been keep back since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Fran Barnes , Chief Executive of the HTA , commented : " Although the weather was irregular in January , with dusty temperature and disruptive storms , some warmer weekend regenerate footstep and ignited former gardening activities in expectancy of a better Spring . Coupled with consumer confidence keep to improve into the startle of 2024 , this has helped garden kernel see overall sales up by 2 % by economic value compare to January 2023 , company by a pocket-size 1 % uptick in sales event volumes . It is worth noting the 14 % increase in ply sale and a 19 % increase in risky bird charge sales , which shows client searching to treat themselves and keen to support the wildlife in their gardens .
" The positive start does come with some care on costs and confidence . Businesses continue to struggle with mounting remuneration bills , with the impending April increases to the National Living Wage set to hit remuneration bills that currently average out at 24 % of dollar volume for retailers ( increase to around 40 % in the café / restaurant ) and 30 % for growers , amplifying financial pressures .
" Compounding these challenges are the soar shipping monetary value , as bear witness by the Drewry ’s World Container Index , which register a astonishing 90 % step-up in container costs liken to the previous twelvemonth . Shipping route have been disrupted due to the suspension of the Suez Canal since disturbances in the Red Sea towards the end of last year and January 2024 . As a resultant role , ships are being airt through the Southern tip of Africa to avoid fight , leading to retentive journeying and higher shipping container costs . It remains to be seen how these cistron will affect the costs of garden furniture and prominent garden equipment . to boot , the EU ’s Emissions Trading Scheme will likely add to the price core , necessitate a strategic re - rating of operational efficiencies to protect profit margins .
" Despite these challenges , garden retailers persist balance to navigate the recessionary headwind , looking at ways of becoming more efficient to uphold gain allowance as we approach Spring and the peak gardening time of year . "
For more information : Horticultural Trades Associationwww.the-hta.org.uk
