In brief

Downturn in Germany The garden market in Germany achieved volume sales of € 14.4 bn in 2009. Market researchers BBE Retail Experts are working from the assumption that the market has contracted: hardware by one per cent to € 5.3 bn, live plants by four per cent to € 9.1 bn. The speciality retailers are responsible for the loss in the case of plants, where garden centres also report a minimal decline. The DIY stores have expanded in this category, as they have in the hardware and garden furniture/decoration categories as well. The market share of live plants attributable to DIY stores and garden centres taken together amounts to 37 per cent. Garden growing in importance EDRA, the European DIY Retail Association, believes that garden ranges will continue to gain in significance for DIY stores. The association puts a figure of 22 per cent on the share of DIY store sales from garden products in Germany, of 16 per cent in the United Kingdom, 15 per cent in Italy and 11.5 per cent in France. UK garden trade fair Glee, the British trade fair for gardening, leisure and pet products due to be held from 20 – 22 September, is newly scheduled to run from Monday to Wednesday this year. The event is staged in Birmingham and features both British and international exhibitors. Sun and water Sun, the 28th International Exhibition of Outdoor Products, takes place from 14 to 16 October 2010 in Rimini. 700 exhibitors and more than 20 000 visitors are expected. Ranges related to water will be the focal point of the show. Download: