UK Flowers and Houseplants Market Report 2021
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Report Summary
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Consumer Attitudes Towards Houseplants and Cut Flowers market including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
Purchasing levels for flowers and houseplants remained stable in 2021, with 50% of consumers having purchased flowers in the past year, while houseplants saw a marginal decrease (35%). The average spend on shoppers last purchase of flowers and houseplants increased to £18.7 and £24.8 respectively in 2020/21, Here the pandemic has helped boost trends in wellbeing with houseplants playing an important role while consumers in lockdown turned to flowers to keep connected with loved ones.
The impact of COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions to the floriculture supply chain which is global and interdependent. In the UK, the sector is further fragmented by non-specialists being able to trade in the category and selling directly to consumerswhich the pandemic has amplified. National lockdowns forced most florists and specialists to close shop while supermarkets and discounters could trade in the category, benefiting from their essential status. Meanwhile, online players captured changing consumer habits with purchasing levels increasing 55% in the past 12 months. Here, retailers should focus on encouraging spend from a wider demographic of consumers who have gained confidence in online shopping as a result of the pandemic.
Quickly Understand
- The impact of COVID-19 on flowers and houseplant purchasing.
- Key consumer behaviours influenced by COVID-19.
- Houseplant and flower behaviours in the last 12 months.
- The impact of COVID-19 on online shopping for flowers and houseplants.
Covered in this report
Core focus of consumer surveys: Who buys flowers and/or houseplants; How much consumers spent during their last purchase on flowers/and or houseplants; How frequently they purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months; How they have shopped for flowers and/or houseplants; Which retailer they use to buy flowers and/or houseplants; Consumers behaviours towards flowers and consumer behaviours towards houseplants.
Brands included: Bloom & Wild, M&S, Interflora, Morrison’s, Dobbies, Flying Flowers, Nook Houseplants, Serenta Flowers, Flower Council Holland, Zing Flowers, Freddie’s Flowers, Moonpig.com and more.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Emily Viberg, a leading analyst in the Retail sector, her extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
The past 12 months have continued to be tough for the sector as the UK endured a second and third lockdown. As a result, florists and specialists were forced to close shop during the crucial Christmas period and lose out on store sales for key events like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter which were, yet again, celebrated in lockdown. However, retailers worked hard to promote flowers as a way to stay connected during the pandemic while the growing wellbeing trend has sustained demand for houseplants. Online saw a significant uptick with consumers across demographics gaining confidence in online shopping.
Emily Viberg
Retail Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- COVID-19: market context
- Economic and other assumptions
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Impact of COVID-19 on flowers and houseplants
- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on the broader retail category, flower and houseplant sectors, 2020
- The market
- Brexit impact on household income
- Figure 2: Impact of Brexit on consumer household income, March 2021
- Seasonal events popular for flowers
- Figure 3: Percentage of consumers who bought flowers as gifts for seasonal occasions in 2020/21
- Real wages outpace inflation
- Figure 4: Real wage growth – Average weekly earnings vs inflation, January 2016-February 2021
- Companies and brands
- Ad spend significantly down in 2020
- Figure 5: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, 2016-20
- Bloom & Wild top advertiser in 2021
- Advertising moves indoors
- Figure 6: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by media type, 2020
- The pandemic helps boost houseplant launches
- The consumer
- Shoppers support local businesses
- Figure 7: Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviours, 19 March-26 March 2021
- Closure of non-essential stores impact purchasing levels
- Figure 8: Consumers who have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, March 2021
- Shoppers buy flowers and houseplants all year round
- Figure 9: How often consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, March 2021
- Online sees significant uptick
- Figure 10: How consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, March 2021
- Spending on flowers and houseplants grow
- Figure 11: How much shoppers spent during their last purchase on flowers and/or houseplants, March 2021
- Gifting flowers is not occasion specific
- Figure 12: Flower and houseplant behaviours, March 2021
- Type of flowers/houseplants most important when buying as a gift
- Figure 13: Important factors when buying flowers and houseplants as a gift, March 2021
- Impact of COVID-19 on flowers and houseplants
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Issues and Insights
- Impact of COVID-19 on cut flowers and houseplants
- Online shopping sees uptick
- COVID-19 boosts wellbeing trend
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The Market – Key Takeaways
- Florists welcome the reopening of non-essential retail in April
- Consumer confidence high despite pandemic
- Changes in the population
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Impact of COVID-19 on Flowers and Houseplants
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- Figure 14: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on the broader retail category, flower and houseplant sectors, 2020
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Market Drivers
- Impact of 2021 lockdown
- Real wages outpace inflation
- Figure 15: Real wage growth – Average weekly earnings vs inflation, January 2016-February 2021
- Consumers current finances hold up
- Figure 16: Consumers financial situation, March 2021
- Brexit impact on household income
- Figure 17: Impact of Brexit on consumer household income, March 2021
- Population trends
- Figure 18: Population trends, 2020-30
- Figure 19: Population trends, 2020-30
- Seasonal events popular for flowers
- Figure 20: Percentage of consumers who bought flowers as gifts for seasonal occasions in 2020/21
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Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Seasonal events popular for flowers
- Retailers help make flower deliveries easier
- The pandemic helps boost houseplant launches
- Advertising spend on flowers and houseplants drops
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Seasonal events garner interest for flowers
- Bloom & Wild is selling small Christmas trees that will fit through your letterbox
- Figure 21: Bloom & Wild Christmas letterbox trees, 2020
- Interflora ‘self-partnered’ Valentine’s Day flowers
- Figure 22: Interflora’s ‘self-partnered’ flower bouquet, 2021
- M&S Percy Pigs Mother’s Day flowers
- Figure 23: M&S Percy Pigs themed flower bouquet, 2021
- Supermarkets deliver for Mother’s Day 2020
- Figure 24: M&S Mother’s Day hamper, 2020
- Retailer’s meet online demand
- Serenata Flowers launches customisable subscription service
- Morrisons launches letterbox delivery service
- Figure 25: Morrisons letterbox flowers, 2020
- Supermarkets support florists
- Bloom & Wild launches exclusive floral range for Sainsbury’s
- Figure 26: Bloom & Wild’s exclusive Sainsbury’s bouquets, 2020
- Morrisons doubles number of in-store florists
- Sustainability remains important
- Online tropical plant retailer launches store for ‘Millennial gardeners’
- Dobbies Garden Centre launches range of houseplants in sustainable coconut coir pots
- Figure 27: Dobbies sustainable houseplants, 2020
- Retailers highlight benefits of flowers and houseplants
- Bloom & Wild reimagined seven famous landmarks 2021
- Figure 28: Bloom & Wild reimagined landmarks, 2021
- Send a Smile with Flying Flowers bouquet from £1
- Figure 29: Flying Flowers £1 bouquets, 2020
- Nook Houseplant first physical store
- Figure 30: Nook Houseplant first physical store, 2020
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Ad spend significantly down in 2020
- Figure 31: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, 2016-20
- Bloom & Wild top advertiser in 2020
- Figure 32: Bloom & Wild Not For Sale Valentine’s Day campaign 2021
- Serenata Flowers launches subscription service
- Figure 33: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by leading retailers, 2016-20
- Advertising moves indoors
- Figure 34: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by media type, 2020
- Ad spend significantly down in 2020
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Key Campaigns
- Bloom & Wild ‘Care Wildly’
- Figure 35: Bloom & Wild Care Wildly campaign 2020
- Flower Council of Holland ‘Fill the distance with beauty’ campaign
- Figure 36: Flower Council of Hollands COVID-19 campaign, 2020
- Focaccia Florist humorous Valentine’s Day ad
- Figure 37: Focaccia Florist Valentine’s Day campaign 2021
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Bloom & Wild ‘Care Wildly’
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- Shoppers buy from more local businesses
- Purchasing and spending levels remain resilient
- Online purchasing significantly grows
- Pandemic helps boost wellbeing benefits of flowers and houseplants
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Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
- Consumer cut back on non-essential spending
- Shoppers support local businesses
- Figure 38: Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviours, 19 March-26 March 2021
- Consumers shop more online
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- Figure 39: Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviours, 19 March-26 March 2021
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Who Buys Flowers and Houseplants
- Closure of non-essential stores impact purchasing levels
- Figure 40: Consumers who have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, 2020-21
- Flowers appeal across demographics
- Figure 41: Consumers who have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, by age group, March 2021
- Houseplants popular for urban dwellers
- Figure 42: Consumers who have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, by location, March 2021
- Closure of non-essential stores impact purchasing levels
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How Often They Buy Flowers and Houseplants
- Shoppers buy flowers and houseplants all year round
- Figure 43: How often consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, 2020-21
- Males buy flowers/houseplants once a week
- Figure 44: How often consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, by gender, March 2021
- Shoppers buy flowers and houseplants all year round
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How They Shop for Flowers and Houseplants
- Online sees significant uptick
- Figure 45: How consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, 2020-21
- Shoppers more confident in online shopping
- Figure 46: How consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, by age group, March 2021
- Online sees significant uptick
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Which Retailer They Use to Buy Flowers and Houseplants
- Supermarkets benefit from essential status
- Figure 47: Where consumers have purchased flowers and/or houseplants in the past 12 months, March 2021
- Supermarkets benefit from essential status
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How Much is Spent on Flowers and Houseplants
- Spending on flowers and houseplants grow
- Figure 48: How much shoppers spent during their last purchase on flowers and/or houseplants, March 2021
- 35-54s keenest flower and houseplant shoppers
- Figure 49: How much shoppers spent during their last purchase on flowers and/or houseplants, by age group, March 2021
- Spending on flowers and houseplants grow
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Flower and Houseplant Behaviours
- Gifting flowers is not occasion specific
- Shoppers have flowers/houseplants in the home to improve moods
- Shoppers think it’s important to support local florists
- Figure 50: Flower and houseplant shopping behaviours, March 2021
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Important Factors when Gifting Flowers/Houseplants
- Type of flower/houseplants most important when buying as a gift
- Figure 51: Important factors when buying flowers and houseplants as a gift, March 2021
- Sustainability remains an important factor
- Figure 52: Important factors when buying flowers and houseplants as a gift, by age group, March 2021
- Type of flower/houseplants most important when buying as a gift
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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