DIYWEEK.net

Independent garden centre sales up 8.2% for the month, helped by good weather and sporting events.
According to the latest HTA Garden Industry Monitor (GIM) Market Update, June proved to be the high point of the garden season to date, benefiting from fine weather and consumers staying home to enjoy the World Cup and other sporting events.

Figures from the HTA's Retail Business Benchmark survey of independent garden retailers revealed that average sales for the month were up 8.2% on 2009 levels. The results made up for disappointing sales seen in April and May. However, they were not enough to recover all of the ground lost earlier in the year when trade was badly hit by one of the harshest winters on record.

HTA director of marketing, Andrew Maxted, said: "It is encouraging to see the garden industry sustaining much of the growth experienced in 2009, which was widely regarded as a golden year."

He added: "Despite challenges to public and household budgets, consumers have continued to spend on their gardens and June's good weather has helped consolidate the gains from last year. Early indications are that July proved another good month and the garden industry appears better prepared than many sectors for the choppy recovery ahead."

Forecasts for the HTA by the Future Foundation predict that in-home leisure spending, which includes gardening, will continue to increase between now and 2012, with a rate of growth outstripping out-of-home leisure spending.