garden wildlife
Giving nature a helping hand
With consumers increasingly interested in the environment and helping wildlife, products that bring birds, insects and other animals into the garden are enjoying growing sales
The Dewdrop Feeder, with a transparent design which allows users to view feeding birds, took home a new product award at Glee 2017
With a commitment to conservation of species, Wildlife World’s designers researched and created the new products to replicate the natural environment of wildlife, Norman explains. The company’s new products are all designed to encourage birds into gardens with nesting habitat and feeders and also offer hedgehogs a safe place to go during bad weather and for protection from predators. Wildlife World’s new Dewdrop Window Feeder is a transparent design which allows nature lovers to easily watch small birds eat out of the box. The clear moulded Perspex allows observation of birds from all angles, and is secured to the window with two heavy suction pads. The design is waterproof with just a small circular entrance for birds, sheltering food from poor weather conditions.
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s a company that is dedicated to producing and marketing products that encourage and protect wildlife, it is pleasing for Wildlife World managing director Norman Sellers to see growing consumer awareness of the importance of enticing birds and animals into their gardens. “Wildlife gardening is a noble way to create special urban wildlife habitats,” he explains. “Consumers are also becoming more conscious of the environment, what products are made from and increasingly want to provide wildlife with a home by buying more products to help this initiative.
“Consequently, sales are rising across all our ranges. Our commitment to innovative features and attention to detail has gained us an enviable reputation in our market - and we’re very proud of that.”
Wildlife World launched a raft of new products at Glee 2017, including an exclusive range for the National Trust, a new DIY hedgehog house and two new bird nesters in partnership with Simon King. Wildlife World’s new Dewdrop Window Feeder also won them an award for best new wildlife product at the Glee 2017 awards.
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Norman commented: “We are so pleased and honoured to have won one of the best new product awards, especially for this particular product. We have been working hard for some time creating new products that we hoped would excite the market and this is definitely an excellent start. It’s also been great working with Simon King and the National Trust as their knowledge and expertise has allowed us to together create products that are truly beneficial to birds and other wildlife species.”
The market for wildlife products is often closely tied to seasonality. “Our bird products have always been popular, especially our nesters and feeders,” says Norman. “We are always developing new lines in response to the demand. Many of our product lines are seasonal and as a result of this, sales vary at different times of the year. We are dedicated to the conservation of all garden wildlife across a multitude of species, and our habitats are now benefiting wildlife all over the UK and Europe.” Awareness of those seasonal peaks can help retailers make the most of the category, Norman notes, as well as focusing on an educational approach.
“Seasonal point of sale display units has boosted retail sales,” he says. “Wherever possible we take videos of the products in use, which is educational, increases consumer awareness and illustrates how people can provide a helping hand to their local wildlife.” Norman also advises that consumers will increasingly search online for advice and inspiration on welcoming wildlife to their gardens, as well as to purchase products directly.
“Online shopping is advancing all the time,” he says. “In line with the rapidly expanding trend of online retail in other sectors, we expect to see almost 20% year on year growth for garden wildlife products. Consumers are becoming savvier about the world they live in and are turning to the internet to find a wider range of products which have a strong environmental ethic.”
Wildlife World will continue to invest in new products to encourage consumer interest, Norman adds.
“We are always working on new designs and innovative products to keep up with demand,” he says. “We have recently launched a new National Trust range and are always working on new products in partnership with Simon King, both of which we exhibited at Glee recently.” With consumer interest growing, retailers can also enjoy the fruits of a burgeoning market.
Wildlife World has worked with Simon King to produce garden wildlife ranges, such as the robin nester
GCU November/December 2017
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