For the most up-to-date market research on the UK garden retail market, take a look at Mintel’s newly published UK Garden Products Retailing Market Report 2025
UK Garden shoppers continue to seek out convenience when it comes to shopping as many use the online channel through out their purchasing journey, with the availability of online services and click-and-collect to be most important when choosing their respective garden retailer.
- UK garden product market size: 2023 saw growth of 3.1% in the UK gardening products market, reaching an estimated £8.5 billion.
UK Gardening Products Market Trends
As more consumers relocate to urban areas, the presence of outdoor space will decrease, with private garden/outdoor spaces becoming less accessible, while balconies and allotments see an increase. Garden retailers need to address this expanding market by providing urban-friendly product lines to engage garden enthusiasts actively in the hobby.
Interest in entertaining at home will remain important for many, and with that the garden sector will continue to grow, many will take on smaller upgrades to make their gardens the place to entertain their friends and family ahead of major sporting events like the Paris Summer Olympics and Euro 2024.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- The impact of the cost-of-living crisis and recession on garden product retailing
- What are garden shoppers purchasing
- What type of retailers did shoppers visit for their garden needs
- What additional services are valuable to garden retailers
- Attitudes towards gardens, garden purchasing and gardening
- How can garden retailers embrace technology
- Garden shopper typologies and how garden retailers can engage with them
More About This Report
This report examines the garden product sector in the UK. There is a broad definition of gardening used in this report, covering growing stock, gardening tools and sundries to those consumer products bought for the garden, such as furniture, barbecues and sheds.
The main categories and their broad definitions break down as follows:
- Growing stock – plants, shrubs, trees, bulbs, seeds
- Gardening equipment – lawnmowers, other power tools, hand tools, irrigation equipment
- Garden buildings – conservatories, sheds, greenhouses
- Garden chemicals and growing media – compost, peat, chippings, fertiliser, pesticides, weed killers
- Garden furniture and barbecues – furniture, parasols, patio heaters, cushions, barbecues
- Enhancement features and sundries – statuary, aggregates, etc
This report also refers to other products stocked, and services provided by garden retailers (such as Christmas decorations, pets and cafés) to develop footfall and counteract the seasonality in gardening.
Meet The Expert
This report is written by Bridget McCusker. Bridget joined Mintel in October 2022 as a Research Analyst covering retail focusing on home. Originally from Boston, US, Bridget holds a BSc in International Trade & Marketing for the Fashion Industries from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She relocated to London in 2021 to pursue her MSc in Global Affairs at King’s College London.
2024 presents challenges for the garden sector as Brexit plant checks kick in, yet with major summer sporting events, garden shoppers will be looking to spruce up their outdoor spaces.
Bridget McCusker
Research Analyst
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the garden market
- Garden retailers can support demands to entertain ahead of the summer of sport
- Garden centres can become a social day out
- Support consumer’s wellness journeys by providing meditative garden
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Growth remains soft after 2024
- What consumers want and why
- 90% of consumers have access to an outdoor space
- Graph 1: gardens and outdoor spaces, 2020-24
- Consumers have invested in their gardens amidst the cost-of-living crisis
- Graph 2: purchases for gardens and outside spaces, 2021-24
- Both in-store and online are key in the purchasing journey for garden products
- Graph 3: in-store or online shopping, 2024
- Convenience continues to be a key driver for the type of retailer used
- Graph 4: retailer used to purchase garden products, 2023-24
- Convenience and flexibility drive consumer preference on services
- Graph 5: ranking of importance for additional services at garden retailers, 2024
- Many want to better utilise their garden/outdoor spaces
- Graph 6: attitudes towards gardens and outdoor spaces, 2024
- Retailer activity
- Garden retailers stress their value as adspend levels remain level with 2021
- Graph 7: total recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising on garden products, 2019-23
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- The garden sector continues to see growth…
- … with the sector one-third bigger than 2019
- Graph 8: market size for the garden product sector, 2019-23
- Market forecast
- Growth remains soft for garden product retailing
- Entertaining at home will carry demand for gardens
- Major sporting events will influence demand for gardens
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Market segmentation
- Consumers invest in garden essentials in 2023
- Graph 9: garden market segmentation, broad segments, 2022 and 2023
- The garden sector is especially dependent on the weather
- Entertaining this summer will boost the garden spending
- Channels to market
- DIY and home furniture retailers take top spot
- Graph 10: retailers used for garden products, 2024
- Gardening goods, tools and furniture are being purchased online
- Graph 11: use of online-only retailers for garden products by category, 2024
- Macro-economic factors
- Economic output has stagnated since the cost of living crisis began
- Graph 12: GDP, 2021-23
- Garden centres look to stockpile plants ahead of Brexit checks
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances
- Graph 13: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
- Interest rates expected to fall in 2024, but borrowing pressures will remain
- Renters will less likely be key gardeners
- Graph 14: housing tenure in the UK , 2010-23
- Gardening will continue to hold appeal to UK’s ageing population
- Weather plays an important part of the market
- Graph 15: monthly average of bright sunshine for the UK, 2020-24
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Gardens and outdoor spaces
- Majority of consumers have access to some sort of outdoor space
- Only 10% of consumers do not have access to outdoor space
- Graph 16: gardens and outdoor spaces, 2020-24
- Home ownership greatly influences access to private garden or outdoor spaces
- Graph 17: gardens and outdoor space based on home ownership, 2024
- Shopping for the garden
- Garden purchasing rebounds from the past year
- Graph 18: purchases for gardens and outside spaces, 2021-24
- Financial pressures influences engagement
- Garden furniture is being purchased by younger consumers
- Graph 19: purchases for garden and outside spaces, by age group, 2024
- Younger consumers are engaged in gardening
- In-store and online shopping
- In-store experiences remain vital, but consumers want flexibility with how they purchase
- Online remains a vital source of research
- Graph 20: in-store or online shopping, 2024
- In-store remains valuable for the start of purchasing journey
- Graph 21: usage of in-store retailer advice/information by age group, 2024
- Retailers used to purchase garden products
- DIY & home furniture retailers take the lead…
- … but convenience and value remain key to consumers
- Graph 22: retailer used to purchase garden products, 2023-24
- Amazon is the leading garden retailer due in part to its convenience and price positioning
- Garden centres vital for the purchase of garden goods
- Graph 23: retailer types used to purchase garden products, 2024
- Importance of additional services
- Convenience is key for garden retailers as consumers seek a one-stop-shopping experience
- Online shopping facilities is the most important
- Graph 24: ranking of importance for additional services at garden retailers, 2024
- Garden retailers should embrace sustainable initiatives
- Garden centres provide immersive in-store experiences…
- Graph 25: garden products at types of retailers, 2024
- … but have the opportunity to provide a comprehensive customer experience by enhancing their digital presence
- One-third of garden shoppers are interested in additional services at garden centres
- Attitudes towards gardens and outdoor spaces
- Garden shoppers are keen to make their gardens more sustainable
- Gardens/outdoor spaces are important to the majority of consumers
- Graph 26: attitudes towards gardens and outdoor spaces, 2024
- Many see gardening as difficult and time-consuming…
- Graph 27: consumer attitudes towards guidance /inspiration towards gardening – any agree, by age group, 2024
- … but garden retailers can grow interest with technology
- Engagement levels for gardening is largely dependent on age…
- Graph 28: garden consumer typologies, by age, 2023
- … as well as income levels
- Graph 29: cluster analysis, by income, 2024
- Garden enthusiasts are the most active when it comes to purchasing for their garden/outdoor space
- Garden plants are the most popular category to spend on
- Graph 30: what they spent for their garden/outdoor space by cluster groups, 2024
- Garden retailers can engage all consumers
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Retailer Activity
- Competitive strategies
- 2023 was a mixed bag for garden centres…
- … as they look to strengthen their non-garden offerings
- Too Good To Go teams up with garden centres
- A slowdown in garden centre openings in 2023
- Economic uncertainty dampens garden centre sales
- Non-specialists gardening summary
- Launch activity and innovation
- Own-brand ranges come to garden centres
- B&Q launches plastic plant pot recycling stations
- Garden centres can lean into other departments
- Retailers introduce peat-free sustainable alternatives
- RHS launches its AI chatbot
- Haskins introduces Lakeland store at its Snowhill location
- Gardening needs are met online
- Garden retailers can stress how gardening can fit into shoppers’ busy lives
- Vertical gardening offers urban solutions
- Garden centres boost customer experience
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Advertising spend is in line with 2021 levels
- Graph 31: total recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising on garden products, 2019-23
- Non-specialists are highlighting their value for gardening needs
- May is a peak period for gardening advertising spend
- Garden tools capitalise on consumer interest
- Gardening does not have to be a chore
- TV comes out on top ahead of Digital
- Graph 32: total recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on garden products, by media type, 2023
- Dobbies stresses its place in garden sector
- Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes the face of Lidl’s Parkside range
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Appendix
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size and forecast: underlying data
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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