The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) releases its comprehensive market update report for December 2023 and the full-year state of trade review. Access and participation in gardening statistics are also included this month, using the results of our Annual Consumer Survey to provide unique industry insights.
As reported throughout 2023, the horticultural sector faced record-breaking weather extremes, from the driest February in 30 years to the hottest June on record. December continued the trend, with mean temperatures and rainfall more than two times higher than in December 2022. Yet, garden centers showcased remarkable resilience, finishing the year with sales up by +2% compared to the previous calendar year.
Despite the delayed start to the gardening season in 2023, with garden/gardening categories finishing -1% down on 2022, notable exceptions included bedding plants, which saw a surge of 12%, and catering and food/farm shop sales maintained strong growth, finishing at an impressive +23%.
Read the entire article at hta.org.uk