Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Outdoor living continues to stimulate demand
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- Figure 1: Consumer spending on garden products, 2014-24
- Garden plants account for 31% of spending
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- Figure 2: Garden market segmentation, broad segments, 2018 (est)
- Outdoor living drives demand
- Companies and brands
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- Figure 3: Distribution of garden products, by type of retailer, 2013 and 2018 (est)
- Dobbies, Blue Diamond and many others buy stores from Wyevale
- Dobbies has raised standards
- Destination leisure developments
- DIY chains slimmer but fitter
- B&Q has a four-stage garden strategy
- Homebase is reviving its strengths in gardening
- The consumer
- 87% of households have a garden or outside space
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- Figure 4: Presence of gardens, balconies and allotments, April 2019
- 78% bought garden products in the last year
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- Figure 5: Purchases for gardens and outside spaces, April 2019
- 18% agree they are doing more shopping online
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- Figure 6: Trend for spending in-store or online, April 2019
- 40% shopped at garden centres
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- Figure 7: Retailers used for garden products, April 2019
- Plant quality and choice are the most influential factors in shaping choice of retailer
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- Figure 8: Factors influencing choice of retailer, April 2019
- 41% browse online for ideas
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- Figure 9: Shopping behaviour for garden products, April 2019
- People associate gardens with relaxing
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- Figure 10: Attitudes towards gardens, leisure time in the garden, April 2019
- 65% agree that gardening is enjoyable
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- Figure 11: Attitudes towards gardens, tending the garden, April 2019
- People think home-grown vegetables are healthier
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- Figure 12: Attitudes towards gardens, garden plants, chemicals and GYO, April 2019
- 75% agree that gardening is a valuable education for children
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- Figure 13: Attitudes towards gardens, children and gardens, April 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Is the trend for private renting depressing demand for gardening?
- The facts
- The implications
- How will online retailing of garden products develop?
- The facts
- The implications
- After the sweeping changes of 2018-19 – which garden centre groups have benefited?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Use of the garden as an outside room drives market growth
- Garden plants account for 31% of spending
- Garden centres gained market share over 2013-18
- 87% of households have access to gardens, balconies or allotments
- More hard standing in London’s gardens
- Over 1 million allotments in the UK
- 4.6% growth in number of households
Market Size and Forecast
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- Outdoor living continues to stimulate demand
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- Figure 14: Consumer spending on garden products, 2014-24
- 3% growth over 2019-24, excluding inflation
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- Figure 15: Consumer spending on garden products, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Garden plants account for 31% of spending
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- Figure 16: Garden market segmentation, broad segments, 2018 (est)
- Outdoor living drives demand
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- Figure 17: Consumer spending on garden products, by market segment, 2017-19 (est)
- Retail standards are improving
- People like rapid results
- Grow-your-own has plateaued
- Trend to outdoor living
- Demand for garden chemicals depends on prevailing conditions
- Intelligent mowing poised to take off
- More living space in the garden
- Encouraging birds and insects
Channels to Market
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- Garden centres have gained share of garden product retailing
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- Figure 18: Distribution of garden products, by type of retailer, 2013 and 2018 (est)
- 27% bought garden goods online
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- Figure 19: Homewares purchased online in the last year, garden goods, September 2018
- Garden centres most important sector
- Many retailers sell garden furniture and barbecues online
- Supermarkets capitalise on their high footfall
- Price becomes a key marketing message as B&M expands
- Argos has better visibility as more stores open within Sainsbury’s supermarkets
- Dunelm and other general retailers address the garden market
Market Drivers
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- 87% of households have access to gardens, balconies or allotments
- Help to Buy means younger purchasers are attracted to new-build homes
- More hard standing in London’s gardens
- Over 1 million allotments in the UK
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- Figure 20: Presence of gardens, balconies and allotments, 2017-19
- Growth in number of households
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- Figure 21: UK households by size, 2012-22
- 39% agree that gardening is a favourite pastime
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- Figure 22: Attitudes towards gardening, November 2018
- Enthusiasm for gardening increases with age
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- Figure 23: Attitudes towards gardening, by age, November 2018
- First-time buyers are older
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- Figure 24: Percentage of households who own their own home, by age, 1997-2017
- 7.6% more adults aged 55+ by 2023
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- Figure 25: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
- Over-55s take pleasure from gardening
- Grandparents occupied with child care
- Accessible gardening for the elderly
- Today’s private renters are not into gardening
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- Figure 26: Tenure, by age group, 2019
- Interest in organic foods and clean eating illustrate potential for GYO
- Popularity of cocktails drives demand for herbs
- Television gardening programmes influence styles
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Dobbies, Blue Diamond and many others buy stores from Wyevale
- Dobbies has raised standards
- Destination leisure developments
- DIY chains slimmer but fitter
- B&Q has a four-stage garden strategy
- Homebase is reviving its strengths in gardening
- Changes at the DIY chains
- Value retailers grow presence in garden retailing
- Disruption among retailers led to a drop in adspend
Companies and Brands
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- The garden centre sector before the Wyevale sell-off
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- Figure 27: Garden centre retailers, turnover (excl VAT), 2013-17
- Blue Diamond generates strong gains in 2018 helped by contribution from refits and nine former Wyevale stores
- Significant variation in turnover per store
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- Figure 28: Garden centre retailers, turnover per store, 2013-17
- Wide variation in profitability
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- Figure 29: Garden centre retailers, operating profit, 2013-17
- Klondyke has enviable operating margins
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- Figure 30: Garden centre retailers, operating margin, 2013-17
- The break-up of Wyevale dramatically reshapes the garden centre sector
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- Figure 31: Garden centre retailers, turnover, store numbers and turnover per outlet, before and after the Wyevale sales, estimated and annualised, 2017 and 2019
- Dobbies has bought 37 Wyevale outlets
- Blue Diamond and Hillier transformed by purchasing Wyevale outlets
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- Figure 32: Garden centres, store numbers, 2013-19
Competitive Strategies
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- Dobbies has raised standards
- Blue Diamond continues to develop its Redfields blueprint
- Destination leisure developments
- Refurbishment activity
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- Figure 33: Notcutts, Booker store refit, 2019
- DIY chains slimmer but fitter
- B&Q has a four-stage garden strategy
- Homebase is reviving its strengths in gardening
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- Figure 34: Homebase, display of plants for immediate impact, 2019
Space Allocation Summary
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- Garden centres outdoor space allocation overview
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- Figure 35: Garden centres estimated outdoor garden space allocation, June 2019
- Garden centres indoor space allocation overview
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- Figure 36: Blue Diamond, Weybridge, fashion
- Figure 37: Garden centres estimated indoor garden space allocation, June 2019
- Non-specialists outdoor space allocation overview
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- Figure 38: Non-specialists estimated outdoor garden space allocation, June 2019
- Non-specialists indoor space allocation overview
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- Figure 39: Non-specialists estimated outdoor garden space allocation, June 2019
- Detailed space allocation
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- Figure 40: Garden products retailers estimated detailed space allocation as a percentage of total floor space, June 2019
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- B&Q opens pilot ‘local home improvement store’
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- Figure 41: GoodHome by B&Q, Wallington, 2019
- Wickes moves into ‘instant’ gardening
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- Figure 42: Wickes, Instant gardening, 2019
- Sustainable gardening developments
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- Figure 43: IKEA show garden at Chelsea Flower Show, 2019
- Developing online services
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- Figure 44: SmartPlant, image, 2019
- Value retailers grow their presence in gardening
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- Figure 45: One Below, 2019
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Dip in advertising in 2018
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- Figure 46: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products and retailing, 2015-18
- Dobbies increased adspend in 2018
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- Figure 47: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products and retailing, top 20, 2015-18
- TV and press are the most popular media
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- Figure 48: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products and retailing, by media type, 2018
- Garden retailers lost share of spending in 2018
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- Figure 49: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products and retailing , by category, 2018
- Advertising specifics
- B&Q’s 2017-18 campaign featured an easy garden transformation
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- Figure 50: B&Q television advert, 2017-18
- B&Q features click-and-collect in its 2019 garden advert
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- Figure 51: B&Q television advert, 2017-18
- Dobbies continues with its cute reindeer theme
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- Figure 52: Dobbies, television advert, 2018
- Homebase emphasises everything for the garden
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- Figure 53: Homebase, image from animated pattern created by garden goods, 2019
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 87% of households have a garden or outside space
- Older bias to purchasers of gardening goods
- 18% agree they are doing more shopping online
- Garden centres appeal to age 55+
- People choose retailers based on quality of plants
- The internet is an integral part of the shopping process
- Gardens are relaxing places for leisure time
- GYO is healthier
- Children benefit from gardens
Gardens and Outside Spaces
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- 87% of households have a garden or outside space
- Catering for the tiny space gardener
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- Figure 54: Presence of gardens, balconies and allotments, April 2019
- Owner-occupiers most likely to have gardens
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- Figure 55: Presence of gardens, balconies and allotments, by household tenure, April 2019
Purchases for Gardens and Outside Spaces
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- Older bias to purchasers of gardening goods
- Gardening tools bought throughout the age groups
- Younger shoppers are most engaged with buying furniture and decor
- Non-buyers are typically least well-off and in the 35-54 age band
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- Figure 56: Purchases for gardens and outside spaces, net, April 2019
- Plants top the list of goods purchased
- 16-24s are core audience for barbecues
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- Figure 57: Purchases for gardens and outside spaces, April 2019
Online Shopping Trends for the Garden
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- 18% agree they are doing more shopping online
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- Figure 58: Trend for spending in-store or online, April 2019
- 16-34s are doing more online shopping for the garden
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- Figure 59: Spending more online, by age, April 2019
Retailers Used for Garden Products
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- 40% shopped at garden centres
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- Figure 60: Retailers used for garden products, April 2019
Factors Influencing Choice of Retailer
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- Plant quality and choice are the most influential factors in shaping choice of retailer
- Convenience is a significant factor
- Creating a leisure experience
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- Figure 61: Factors influencing choice of retailer, April 2019
Shopping Behaviour for Garden Products
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- 41% browse online for ideas
- 11% posted garden images on social media
- Loyalty cards used by 24% of shoppers
- Face-to-face advice encourages store visits
- Help with visualising the end result
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- Figure 62: Shopping behaviour for garden products, April 2019
Attitudes towards Gardens
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- People associate gardens with relaxation
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- Figure 63: Attitudes towards gardens, leisure time in the garden, April 2019
- 65% agree that gardening is enjoyable
- Taking pride in the garden
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- Figure 64: Attitudes regarding gardens, tending the garden, April 2019
- People think home-grown vegetables are healthier
- Protecting the environment
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- Figure 65: Attitudes regarding gardens, garden plants, chemicals and GYO, April 2019
- 75% agree that gardening is a valuable education for children
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- Figure 66: Attitudes regarding gardens, children and gardens, April 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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