Catering and Christmas lead latest GCA figures
The leading category was catering at 18.16%.
Catering served up the best results for September, according to Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) latest Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures. Seven of the 13 categories logged were up on the figures submitted by GCA members when compared to September 2023, with the year-to-date variance being up by 0.91%.
The leading category was catering at 18.16%, with seeds and bulbs in second (15.94%) and Christmas sales making up the top three (14.22%). Food hall/farm shop came in fourth on 12.13%.
'A strong end to the autumn'
Will Blake, GCA chairman and managing director of St Peters Garden Centre, said: “It’s great to see that overall, our members achieved growth for the month, despite the economic backdrop and the somewhat variable weather conditions. Seeds, bulbs and houseplants performed well and, as has been commonplace this year, catering and farm shop sales are continuing to do well.
“Unfortunately, significant categories, such as outdoor plants and sundries, haven't fared so well, which is disappointing for our industry. Let’s hope we all have a strong end to the autumn gardening season, and then Christmas is a huge success for everyone!”
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