PMA surveyed supermarket floral buyers to determine the floral sales results of the 2019 Easter holiday. Over 10 supermarket banners responded representing over 10,000 grocery stores. The response to the Easter survey was less than the 2019 Valentine’s Day survey, yet it indicates a healthy floral industry. In 2019, the floral industry experienced a sales increase of 7% on average in all categories for both holidays.
The floral industry is healthy and growing in 2019. All survey respondents are experiencing increased floral sales year-to-date from 2018. This is up 20% from the Valentine’s Day survey. Like Valentine’s Day - in which 87% of respondents experienced increased floral sales for the holiday over the previous year’s holiday, 81% of respondents experienced overall increased floral sales for 2019 Easter over last year’s Easter. The aggregated average increase in floral sales 2019 compared to 2018 was 8% for Easter – the same as Valentine’s Day 2019. One of the 19% of respondents who experienced a decrease in sales this Easter compared to 2018 Valentine’s Day cited stores not ordering enough product to support sales as the main reason.
When asked about product categories, most respondents reported increases in Fresh Flower Arrangements (63%), Consumer Bunches (81%), Potted Plants (69%), and Roses (63%). Mixed bouquets experienced mixed results with 50% of respondents reporting an increase in sales. Not all supermarkets offered Easter Lilies, Potted Bulbs and Balloons. Those supermarkets who offered these products, also experienced increases. Consumer Bunches, Fresh Flower Arrangements and Potted Plants had the greatest percentage of respondents reporting increases in sales. Allocation of labor continues to be the greatest challenge for supermarkets.
The National Retail Federation reported in March 2019 that approximately eight in 10 U.S. adults celebrate Easter. They planned an average spend of $151 per person on everything from clothing and candy to cards and flowers. And half the consumers who didn’t plan to celebrate the holiday still expected to take advantage of Easter-related sales, expecting to spend an average of $19. The same study indicated that half of consumers aged 18- to 24-year-olds consider Easter a social activity with their loved ones. For the supermarket floral industry, it is about increasing the share of money spent during this spring holiday on floral products.