According to research conducted by BloemenBureau Holland (BBH), consumers show a neutral attitude towards the sustainable impact of flowers and plants.
Flowers Bureau Holland has been conducting monthly surveys in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK since April 2023. This survey, designed to track perceptions of the sector, revealed that the majority in survey countries have no strong opinion on the sustainability of the sector. Few significant changes in sentiment have been noticed since the initial measurement.
The largest group of consumers is neutral, with 53 per cent for flowers and 52 per cent for plants respectively, while 42 per cent and 45 per cent are positive and only 5 per cent and 3 per cent negative. Younger consumers generally show a more positive attitude than older respondents. Neutral consumers appear to be impressionable by sustainable developments in the floriculture sector.
The survey shows that awareness about sustainability is growing, especially among young people. Barriers to sustainable purchases include lack of knowledge and higher prices. Social media monitoring reveals that news about pesticides often generates negative reactions, especially after reports of high concentrations in North Holland.
In the Netherlands, perceptions vary, especially around flowers. The perception of the plant sector is more stable. In Germany, there is a slight increase in positivity towards flowers since April 2023, while France has the most positive perception. The UK shows a positive shift in both flowers and plants.
Click here for Bloemen Bureau Holland's detailed article on the survey.
