GCA: May garden centre sales boosted by outdoor living

Garden centre sales held up in May compared to 2013, according to new GCA figures.

Warm weather helped members of the Garden Centre Association (GCA) boost their sales of barbecues and garden furniture in May according to the body’s Barometer of Trade (BoT).

The results highlighted that furniture and barbecue sales were up 23.4 per cent compared to the same month in 2013.

Overall sales were up about three per cent, with the year about 16 per cent up compared to 2013 by the end of May.

GCA chairman Will Armitage said: "Overall our member garden centres had a good May, busier than anticipated with the weather playing a vital part in their successes. All categories were up on the year to date, which is also very encouraging.

"As well as furniture and barbecues, the other categories that saw significant increases during the month were hard landscaping, which was up by 11.12 per cent, pets and aquatics up by 7.79 per cent, clothing up by 7.89 per cent, gifts by 7.02 per cent and catering by 5.64 per cent."

Outdoor plants were down about four per cent, with seeds and bulbs down about 23 per cent. Sundries were flat.

Source : Matthew Appleby - Horticulture Week
www.hortweek.com/news/1299403/outdoor-living-sales-according-gca/