With sales of wholesale flowers for hotels, restaurants, offices, parties, weddings and events dramatically decreased since the first lockdown in March 2020, many in the UK’s floristry industry are struggling. This Valentine’s Day, the UK’s largest and premier floral wholesale market New Covent Garden Flower Market is urging shoppers to make sure they buy from their local independent florist to help support the sector. This year, with 14th February under lockdown, it’s been predicted that Brits will collectively be spending over £1.45 billion1 sending tokens of their affection to loved ones – spent with local florists this has the capacity to turn around the fate of the UK’s floral industry.

The first six weeks of the early 2020 lockdown saw the EU cut flower market lose £900m2 as shoppers suddenly shifted to supermarkets and box services alongside mass closure of hospitality and cancellation of events and weddings. This sent ripples along global supply chains, impacting the livelihoods of millions. Faced with demand for cut flowers falling drastically over the last ten months, almost two thirds of UK growers have reported lost sales as a result of lockdowns, with a third of those businesses unsure they’ll be able to survive the pandemic3.

To help provide vital support for local, high street florists, New Covent Garden’s Flower Market – which supplies the vast majority of London’s flowers and foliage – is urging consumers to shop with their local, independent, high street florist this Valentine’s Day. Of course, with government guidelines asking people to stay at home and only leave the house for crucial work, exercise and to pick up essential groceries, it’s important to take advantage of ordering flowers from your local florist online and by telephone.

Rebecca Barrett, head of strategy, partnerships and communications for New Covent Garden Market, said: “While many businesses have been affected by the pandemic in different ways, independent florists and their supply chain, including wholesalers, British growers and even growers in Kenya and Colombia, have seriously suffered. While this isn’t the story for everyone, with some online florists doing well, just the fact that offices and retail have been closed along with weddings and parties not able to go ahead as they once did, has had a huge impact, particularly on independently owned and specialist contract or event florists. It’s more important now, than ever, that this Valentines Day those of us who love flowers buy them from our local high street florist, many of whom are closed to walk in customers, but can and will deliver. It really is a last gasp of hope for many the industry.

She continued: “We’re also encouraging people to look beyond the traditional red rose and consider something equally romantic but more original, maybe a beautiful floral table setting for a romantic dinner or a gorgeous floral wreath. For some florists, losing crucial sales around this Valentine’s Day to supermarkets whose flowers are not of the same quality or original design, will be difficult to come back from, especially when we are potentially facing months more of closed offices, shops and hotels, as well as cancelled events. The UK has one of the most celebrated floristry industries in the world and this Valentine’s Day, we’re putting out a rallying call for people to say it with flowers from their local florists – share the love, buy locally, buy originality and support high street florists.”

The Flower Market at New Covent Garden Market is the UK’s premier flower market, housing two Royal Warrant holders who supply blooms to the country’s most prestigious households. The Market is at the heart of the floristry industry in London and beyond, supplying the majority of London’s

florists, including high street retailers and in normal times: high-end event companies and commercial florists that flower shops, hotels, offices, parties, weddings and funerals.

While, last Mother’s Day, flower markets were rapidly shut down4, now amidst the UK’s third lockdown, wholesale flower markets are have put in place measure to ensure they are able to operate safely and cope with demand