Consumer Attitudes Towards Cut Flowers and Houseplants: Inc Impact of COVID-19 - UK - May 2020
Overview
 
What you need to know 
Flowers and houseplants are a discretionary purchase and have broad appeal with 55% of consumers who have purchased flowers in the past year and 36% have bought houseplants. 

However, the floriculture market is highly competitive with supermarkets, discounters and specialists competing for spend. Independent florists are being squeezed by the competitive ranges offered by the supermarkets and discounters while emerging online players are intensifying competition in the digital world. In addition, the supply chain spans the globe and any impact to overseas supply creates a ‘domino effect’ which ultimately affects supply in the UK.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inevitably disrupted both the flower and houseplant market given its global nature. A reported 90% of flowers in Britain are imported so disruptions to supply chains overseas and store closures from florists in the UK have led to a significant decrease in the supply and availability of flowers and houseplants since the COVID-19 outbreak. This will have prompted retailers as well as wholesalers and suppliers to consider a more direct way to supply flowers and houseplants to customers and has highlighted the crucial need for an online presence.

Key issues covered in the Report
●	The impact of COVID-19 on future consumer confidence.
●	Key consumer behaviours influenced by COVID-19
●	The impact of COVID-19 on flowers and houseplants in the short-, medium- and long-term 
●	Tapping into the gifting market with houseplants
●	How retailers can attract Millennials to flowers

Products covered in this report
This Report focuses on consumer’s behaviours towards flowers and houseplants. The product areas covered in this Report include fresh cut flowers and foliage, and houseplants.

Bulbs, bedding plants and other products intended primarily for outdoor display are also excluded from this Report. There is a small area of overlap between indoor and outdoor products in the case of, for example, azaleas, cyclamens and pot-grown bulbs like hyacinths and daffodils, which may be bought as houseplants but can be planted outside. The key factor here is the purpose for which they were originally bought.

Mintel’s definitions also include products like professionally assembled bouquets for weddings and other special occasions; as well as wreaths and floral tributes sold through funeral directors.

For each market we include in-depth research, which focuses on:

●	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
●	Consumer behaviours towards houseplants
●	Interest in flower and houseplant innovations