INDUSTRY COMMENT: YEAR IN REVIEW


THRIVING IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY


Kimberley Hornby – MD, Hornby Whitefoot PR


This year, perhaps more than ever, has made me proud to be part of the garden retail sector.


We work with a lot of different


brands, from leading exhibitions and trade associations to manufacturers, both established and emerging, and every single one of them has given us hope for the future. 2021 has been another year not without its challenges. In fact, many of these challenges have increased since 2020, in doing so placing even more pressure on an already exhausted supply chain. But do we hear our clients complain? No. Have they been disheartened by the never- ending pressures they are facing? No. Instead they have remained upbeat, continued to innovate and think outside the box, furthered their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, and turned up day after day, event after event to bring to market the products and services that retailers and consumers want and need.


It’s been superb to watch them thrive in the face of adversity and we will never tire of their passion and dedication. Of course, it’s not just our clients that have contributed to this buoyant mood as we head in 2022, the whole industry has contributed. One particular highlight was being back onsite at Glee 2021, the first in-person edition of the exhibition for two years. The mood was incredible, the aisles were packed, and every brand was proudly showcasing its latest innovation, updated services and looking ahead to the future. Following this we had the 40th annual GIMA Awards where we celebrated these developments even further, with some exciting brand emerging as the ‘ones to watch’. No question, it was great to be back together.


Being able to work with my clients and to be part of the wider industry, supporting the long-term vision is why we do what we do. 2022 is set to be another interesting year and one where I’ve no doubt that terms such as ‘price inflation’, ‘labour shortage’ and ‘freight issues’ will continue to grab headlines. But we’ve ridden the storm this far, so I know we’ll face the new year head on. Bring it on!


MAKING THE MOST OF THE SITUATION


Andy Campbell – Business Development Consultant


After an intensely interrupted 2020, the DIY and garden centre retail industry would have hoped for


a rather more settled year in 2021. Nothing could have been further from the case, with trade throughout remaining highly unpredictable across all categories, not just core gardening. Catering, a vital revenue and profit generator for many has stayed strong, with the appetite to eat and drink in garden centres, amongst the


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great British public, undented. Most retailers are up against 2020 despite intermittent supply and the post-lockdown bounce back last year; and are well up on the more ‘normal’ 2019. The last few months have been characterised by an absolute focus on laying down plans with suppliers in an attempt to secure sufficient stock of key lines for peak trading 2022, particularly where the supply chain extends around the world. In many cases, the supply base has been expanded, multi-sourcing of volume products increased, additional storage secured and stock-holding bolstered. The prognosis for 2022 remains uncertain, but what one can be sure about is that whatever is thrown at the industry, it will respond and adapt creatively and make the most of the situation. This positivity never ceases to impress.


CONFIDENCE STILL HIGH AS ‘NEW NORMAL’ ESTABLISHES THE TREND


Will Jones – COO, British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA)


In terms of commercial performance, 2021 was another


fabulous year for DIY and


gardening with Globaldata recording UK market growth of 8.9% by the end of Q3 and a year end growth project of nearly 6% - and this is a market which had been declining prior to the successive lockdown scenarios. In truth, the sector is unrecognisable when compared with 2019, with Barclaycard reporting spending on home improvements and DIY 22.6% higher in October compared to October 2019. Looking ahead with so many challenges to consumer spending from outside of the industry predicted, 2022 is harder to forecast and the first quarter in particular I predicted to be tough. Nevertheless, the BHETA member survey sees over 70% of DIY


and garden suppliers remaining confident about the year to come.


In 2021 decorative has


perhaps not surprisingly been the strongest performer up by 9.5% but all categories performed very well. As the stay-at-home effects of the pandemic continue and potentially intensify, we are seeing spend on some of the bigger ticket home improvements such as extensions, conversions and replacement bathrooms and kitchens expanding considerably ahead of Christmas. Alongside the market’s boom,


BHETA has also had a great year. There were a record 30 new members as the association not only benefitted from the market’s buoyance, but it also established its voice as a successful industry lobbyist on subjects such as the appropriate implementation of plastic packaging tax (single use as opposed to multi-use as was initially threatened), responsible retail of bladed items and freight costs to name but three. This all took place alongside huge engagement with BHETA’s online advisory webinars and its ability to deliver meaningful retailer networking even in lockdown with big names, including Homebase, Very, and eBay.


ANOTHER UNPRECEDENTED YEAR FOR UK BUSINESSES


Steve Law – Sales Director, Charles Bentley


It has been another unprecedented year for UK businesses, and while it came with its own set


of challenges here at Charles Bentley there has been plenty to celebrate. We’ve continued to grow, which is extraordinary considering the global supply chain disruptions and continued uncertainty around the course of the pandemic. The standout success story came from the DIY channel, which has grown by 700%. The majority of the growth came from our brushware offering. In particular, the Bulldozer brand, with 2021 representing the


strongest year in our 160-year history! Solid sales of our Gripit and Marxman products further solidified our position as a key retail partner. We also focussed on enhancing


our already popular decorating ranges by tapping into our 160 years of brush making know-how, and we expect to see increased penetration in this area. In July, we won the Retailer Support Initiative category in the DIY Week Awards 2021. We were up against some tough competition, and the win demonstrates our determination to continually improve. The dedication of every member of the company ensures we always move forward towards our shared goals. Next year will see us invest in our brands, leverage customer insight, and help support our partners through dedicated POS and digital assets.


DECEMBER 2021 DIY WEEK 13


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