High prices hit sales of popular blooms - florist

John Devine/BBC

Florists have spoken about how cut flowers have reached sky-high prices in the past few years.

Andrea Moat, who runs Elizabeth's Florist on Chatteris High Street in Cambridgeshire, said staple varieties were losing popularity due to their price tag.

She said chrysanthemums, traditionally used in floral tributes on graves, had risen up to five times their price post-Covid and post-Brexit, while another florist told the BBC prices for flowers had more than doubled.

The British Florist Association said the price of flowers was in-line with other inflation products, with their production reliant on "all the factors that the country has seen price increases on".

Ms Moat, 60, who has been running her shop since 2005, said: "The price of flowers is ridiculous. Previously in the summer-time prices fell, but these days they are just staying the same."

She went on to say that many regular customers had turned their backs on flowers like chrysanthemums, which she said were staple blooms to pay tribute to loved ones.

"Before Covid-19 and Brexit they were about £2 a bunch, now they are £10. People just can't afford them any more."

Bonnie Twigg

Bonnie Twigg, 58, runs a shop in Peterborough called Twigg and Bows. She said there had been a drop in the amount of flowers available for florists to buy.

"I think the price of flowers has risen by 130% in the last few years," she said.

Ms Twigg added that some Dutch growers had reduced production because of the rising cost of energy across Europe - and some, she said, had folded altogether.

"It's not just the UK buying flowers from Holland, it's Germany, France, etc. And less flowers puts the prices up at the auction."

Ms Twigg said traditional florists could not compete with supermarkets on price, but said the blooms they provided were not the same weight, length or grade.

Leah Francombe

Leah Francombe, 58, runs a floristry business from home near Ely called Darling Buds of Wilburton.

She has noticed the price of flowers affecting events where traditionally they would heavily feature.

"A lot of people repurpose flowers at weddings now," she said.

Ms Francombe said a couple might use a floral arrangement for the registry part of the day and then move it to where the wedding breakfast was held, to get the most out of one display.

She added that button-hole flowers used to be for the whole wedding party, but were now just for the groom and immediate family.

"Years ago, flowers were at the top of the list for a wedding - now they are at the bottom," she said.

The British Florist Association said: "Prices of flowers are in-line with all other inflation products - their production is reliant on all the factors that the country has seen price increases on.

"Wage and National insurance increases, energy and Brexit-related paperwork will all play a part - however, they are in-line with inflation, unlike other products."

It added that in regards to chrysanthemums, the main fluctuations in their price was season-dependant as they are grown in the Netherlands, and come autumn and winter require more energy to produce.