Jan 22, 2008

Survey Says: Home Décor Dominates Holiday Floral SalesSource: SAF

A recent survey reveals what garden center owners have known all along: Flowers make fragrant, uplifting gifts and are big sellers during the holidays. Results of a recent nationwide online poll, conducted for the Society of American Florists by Synovate eNation, reveal that almost one of every three American adults purchased fresh flowers or plants as gifts this holiday season. The 30 percent is an upward swing from 24 percent in 1998. Additional results:

• At least half of gift givers surveyed bought fresh flowers for home decoration (54 percent), red poinsettias (53 percent) and fresh flowers as gifts (50 percent).
• About a quarter of buyers purchased flowering houseplants other than poinsettias (25 percent), non-red poinsettias (24 percent) and green houseplants (24 percent).
• The average amount spent on gifts of flowers or plants during the holiday was $65.70.
• Supermarkets and groceries topped the outlet venues during the holidays (55 percent), followed by retail florists (26 percent), garden centers (20 percent) and mass merchandisers (19 percent).
• One in 10 gift givers (11 percent) made their purchases online.
• Almost equally popular as gift recipients were people who bought for themselves (34 percent), parents (32 percent) and spouses (29 percent).

For more information, visit http://www.safnow.org.