Worldpay predicts record-breaking trade for garden centres in next four weeks

British consumers are set to spend well in excess of £30 million at garden centres in the run up to Easter, research from payment processing company Worldpay has revealed.

Figures released by Worldpay show that between now and the end of March, Britain’s garden centres could see their weekly takings rise by as much as 39 per cent against the average week.

Analysis of Worldpay’s 2014 card transaction data shows spending on gardening supplies also spiked dramatically over the week leading up to Easter when garden centres saw a 58 per cent uplift in sales versus the weekly average for the sector.

Worldpay believes Britain’s garden centres could see record-breaking trade well in excess of £65 million in the next four weeks.

Landscape gardeners are also expecting a windfall over the coming week, the company said, with the number of transactions 43 per cent higher than average during the last week of March.

Worldpay UK managing director Dave Hobday said: "With only a short window to make the bulk of their yearly income, gardening businesses need to plan meticulously to make the most of traditional spikes in trading. Get stock, staffing or cashflow wrong at this crucial time of year and the result can be a real death knell for businesses that rely heavily on repeat custom and word of mouth recommendations."

Figures recently released by the CBI showed that retail sales in general recovered in the year to March after last month’s disappointing figures.

The latest CBI monthly Distributive Trades survey, which spoke to 126 firms, showed that after sales growth ground to a near halt in February, volumes grew solidly this month and are expected to grow at a broadly similar pace in April.

Source: Jonathan Tilley - Horticulture Week
www.hortweek.com/