Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Steady growth forecast until 2021
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- Figure 1: Consumer spending on garden products, 2011-21
- Market segmentation
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- Figure 2: Garden market segmentation, broad segments, 2015(est)
- 22.8 million UK gardens
- 36% say gardening is a favourite pastime
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- Figure 3: Attitudes towards time at home, ‘Gardening is my favourite pastime’, by age, socio-economic group and tenure, November 2015
- Volatility of demand affected by rainy days
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- Figure 4: UK average rainfall, mm, by month, 2013-15
- 1.9 million more over-55s by 2020
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- Figure 5: Trends in the age structure of the UK population aged 15+, 2010-20
- Companies and brands
- Significant changes concentrating garden retailing
- Homebase taken over by Bunnings
- Supermarkets increase garden ranges
- Plenty of retailers address outdoor living
- Online retailing continues to develop
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- Figure 6: Distribution of garden products, by type of retailer, 2015 (est)
- The consumer
- 88% of UK households have a garden, outside space or allotment
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- Figure 7: Presence of gardens and allotments, April 2016
- 83% personally maintain their garden
- Gardening can be a shared activity
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- Figure 8: Maintenance of gardens and allotments, others maintain, April 2016
- 47% of gardeners garden once a week
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- Figure 9: Frequency of gardening, April 2016
- Confident gardeners are wealthier
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- Figure 10: Confidence when gardening, April 2016
- 45% of people with gardens bought from B&Q
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- Figure 11: Retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, April 2016
- Staff knowledge and inspiring displays are the biggest influence on choice of where to shop
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- Figure 12: Characteristics influencing choice of retailer for garden products, April 2016
- 81% agree their garden is a good place to relax
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- Figure 13: Attitudes towards the garden or outside space, April 2016
- Three target groups for garden retailers
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- Figure 14: Target groups for the garden, April 2016
- Garden as a Pleasant Pastime (50%)
- Garden as a Practical Environment (26%)
- Garden as Another Room (24%)
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How can garden retailers embrace the trend to treat the garden as a room?
- The facts
- The implications
- How can garden centres encourage people to visit more frequently?
- The facts
- The implications
- As smartphone ownership grows, how can garden retailers deliver suitable digital content to engage shoppers?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Steady growth predicted for garden sales
- Diverse market with many elements
- Important to reduce reliance on seasonal markets
- Intense competition
- 1.9 million more over-55s by 2020
Market Size and Forecast
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- Market to grow by 12.7% between 2016 and 2021
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- Figure 15: Consumer spend on garden products, 2011-21
- Figure 16: Consumer spend on garden products, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Figure 17: Garden market segmentation, broad segments, 2015 (est)
- Reducing dependence on spring season
- Trend to outdoor living
- Demand for garden chemicals depends on prevailing conditions
- Emerging trend for cordless and robot mowers
- Garden building more stylish
- Popularity of wild bird seed
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- Figure 18: Consumer spending on garden products, by market segment, 2011-16
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Channels to Market
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- New competitive pressures
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- Figure 19: Distribution of garden products, by type of retailer, 2015 (est)
Market Drivers
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- Seasonal planting
- Barbecue culture
- Garden chemicals
- Cordless and robot mowers
- Stylish garden buildings add useful living space at cheaper cost than an extension
- Wild birds
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- Figure 20: The garden market, by segment, 2015 (est)
- Ownership of gardens
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- Figure 21: Type of garden, April 2014
- Gardening as a favourite pastime
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- Figure 22: Attitudes towards time at home, ‘Gardening is my favourite pastime’, by age, socio-economic group and tenure, November 2015
- Around 1 million allotments in the UK
- 61% say their garden is a good place for GYO
- Revamping the front garden
- Rainy days
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- Figure 23: UK average rainfall, mm, by month, 2013-15
- 1.9 million more over-55s by 2020
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- Figure 24: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2010-20
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Wyevale and Dobbies combined will be a sector giant
- Wyevale has been building profits
- Garden centre outlet numbers
- Trading online
- Importance of in-store restaurants and cafés
- Concession sales are building
- Innovation in gardening
- Investment in stores
Companies and Brands
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- Garden centre turnover
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- Figure 25: Garden centre operators, turnover (excl VAT), 2010-15
- Profitability of garden centres
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- Figure 26: Garden centre operators, operating profits, 2010-15
- Garden centre outlet numbers
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- Figure 27: Garden centre operators, outlet numbers, 2012-16
- Garden centre turnover per outlet
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- Figure 28: Garden centre operators, sales per outlet, 2011-15
- Trading online
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- Figure 29: Garden centre operators, online activity, 2016
- Importance of in-store restaurants and cafés
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- Figure 30: Garden centre operators, catering summary, 2016
- Expanding the product mix
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- Figure 31: Examples of concessions featured at garden centres, 2016
Competitive Strategies
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- Major takeovers will affect competition
- Wyevale’s takeover of Dobbies creates a huge garden chain
- Bunnings (Wesfarmers) buys Homebase shaking up the DIY sector
- B&Q awarded for sustainable retailing
- Convenient shopping at grocery stores
- Asda addresses affordable style
- C-stores carry bedding plants at the door
- Value grocers carry seasonal ranges
- Waitrose Garden in 260 supermarkets
- Retailers eager to embrace outdoor living
- John Lewis focuses on outdoor living
- Next Home & Garden now 10 stores
- IKEA captures the essence of outdoor living for tiny gardens
- Dunelm focuses on garden and conservatory furniture
- Rise of the value retailers
- Tiger – Budget stylish fun
- Poundland launches new garden range
- The Range carries a wide range of garden products
- Online retailing of gardening products is growing
- Concessions taking up more space at garden centres
- Digital activity
- Loyalty schemes
- Linking with celebrities and other trusted brands
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Control your garden with a smartphone
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- Figure 32: The LG Smart Garden, May 2016
- A plant that charges your phone
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- Figure 33: Bioo phone charger, May 2016
- Waitrose re-invents soil
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- Figure 34: Waitrose, Kado plant, May 2016
- Plants targeting smaller spaces
- Click & Collect
- Drive-in collection point
- Biodegradable pots that add to point-of-sale impact
- Gas power for fire pits
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- Figure 35: Solus Decor fire table, May 2016
- Garden centre refurbishments
- Café and restaurant additions
Space Allocation Summary
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- Garden centres space allocation overview
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- Figure 36: Dobbies, Reading, Wildlife Garden display, May 2016
- Figure 37: Garden centres estimated outdoor space allocation, May 2016
- One-stop shopping destinations
- Experiential customer experiences
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- Figure 38: Wyevale, Hillingdon, Buzzing Bakery, May 2016
- Figure 39: Garden centres estimated indoor space allocation, May 2016
- Concessions and trading partners
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- Figure 40: Garden centres Estimated concession/trading partners split by percentage of total selling space, May 2016
- DIY retailers space allocation overview
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- Figure 41: DIY retailers estimated outdoor garden space allocation, May 2016
- Figure 42: DIY retailers estimated indoor garden space allocation, May 2016
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- Figure 43: DIY retailers estimated non-garden – Garden space allocation split, May 2016
- Figure 44: DIY retailers estimated outdoor – Indoor garden space allocation split, May 2016
- Detailed space allocation
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- Figure 45: Garden products retailers detailed space allocation as a percentage of total floor space estimates, May 2015
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- £40.6 million advertising in 2015
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- Figure 46: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products retailing, 2012-15
- B&Q is the largest advertiser
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- Figure 47: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products retailing, shares, 2015
- Large retailers boosting spend
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- Figure 48: Garden retailer advertising, 2012-15
- Campaign specifics
- Wyevale uses scrapbook images
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- Figure 49: Wyevale, garden advertising, 2015
- Dobbies features ‘your patch’
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- Figure 50: Dobbies’ garden advert, Spring 2015
- Figure 51: Dobbies’ Christmas advert 2015
- Television and press dominate media
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- Figure 52: Above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products retailing, by media type, 2015
- Embracing social media
- Nielsen Media Research coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 88% of UK households have a garden, outside space or allotment
- 83% of those with an outside space are gardeners
- 14% of gardeners are ‘extremely confident’
- B&Q used by 45% of people with gardens, allotments or an outside space
- Knowledgeable staff and displays that give ideas are the most influential factors
- People have very positive feelings about gardens and gardening
- Three key target groups for the garden
Presence of Gardens and Allotments
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- Village and suburban homes most likely to have a garden
- 12% of UK homes do not have an outside space
- Private renters least likely to have an outside space
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- Figure 53: Presence of gardens and allotments, April 2016
Maintenance of Gardens and Allotments
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- 83% of those with an outside space are gardeners
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- Figure 54: Maintenance of gardens and allotments, personally maintain, April 2016
- Engagement with garden services
- Gardening is a sociable pastime
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- Figure 55: Maintenance of gardens and allotments, others maintain, April 2016
- 47% of gardeners participate at least once a week in summer
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- Figure 56: Frequency of gardening, April 2016
- Over-55s garden most regularly
Confidence when Gardening
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- 14% of gardeners feel extremely confident
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- Figure 57: Confidence when gardening, April 2016
- Confident and fairly confident gardeners participate most regularly
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- Figure 58: Frequency of maintaining the garden, by confidence when gardening, April 2016
Where They Buy Things for the Garden
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- 76% of those with gardens purchased in the last year
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- Figure 59: Repertoire of retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, April 2016
- B&Q is the most used retailer for garden products
- Homebase has weakest coverage in the north of England
- Value retailers falling short in London
- Village/rural shoppers go to garden centres
- Wealthiest shoppers use B&Q and the big garden centres
- Internet used by 10% of those with gardens or an outside space
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- Figure 60: Retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, April 2016
- Confidence affects choice of retailers
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- Figure 61: Retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, by gardening confidence, April 2016
- Rare gardeners go to B&Q
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- Figure 62: Retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, by frequency of gardening, April 2016
Characteristics that Influence Choice of Retailer
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- Staff knowledge is the most influential factor in where to shop
- Inspirational displays influence 40%
- Attracting families
- Cafés are important to 23%
- 25-44s value an informative website
- Other departments increase reasons to visit
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- Figure 63: Characteristics influencing choice of retailer for garden products, April 2016
Attitudes towards the Garden
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- Figure 64: Attitudes towards the garden or outside space, April 2016
- Three main target groups
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- Figure 65: Target groups for the garden, April 2016
- Target groups – Key characteristics
- Garden as a Pleasant Pastime (50%)
- Garden as a Practical Environment (26%)
- Garden as Another Room (24%)
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- Figure 66: Gardening confidence, by target groups, April 2016
- Where the target groups shopped
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- Figure 67: Retailers used for garden purchases, by target groups, April 2016
- Figure 68: Attitudes towards the garden, by target groups, April 2016
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- Figure 69: Target groups for the garden, by confidence, April 2016
- Figure 70: Retailers used in the last 12 months for garden purchases, by target groups, April 2016
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- Figure 71: Characteristics influencing choice of retailer for garden products, by target groups, April 2016
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Data sources
- Market sizing and segment performance
- Forecast methodology
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