Vol. 7, Issue 1 | March 2015

Retail Sales 2014: VAT in the Spotlight in France

By Christiane Weiller

2014 was a poor year for French garden centers. The results of our barometer show sales weren’t very different compared to 2013.

Last year’s average temperature was the hottest of the century but the weather altogether wasn’t much better for gardening than in 2013.

Individual consumption of goods was down 0.2% due to the increase in taxes and unemployment.

The most important event in retail last year was the increase in value added tax which went up 3% for nursery stock, plants, bulbs, seeds and pets at the beginning of 2014 and then up another 10% in July for pets.

In figures, the average benchmark for national sales without VAT in 2014 is -0.1%. Garden retail sales are at -0.5%. Pets and pet food are at -0.7%. Household products (decoration, food and so on) are the only segment with an increase in sales of 3.5% compared to 2013.

Since 2013 was itself a very difficult year with a drop of 6.4% compared to 2012, we can say our market has not emerged from its actual crisis.

Christiane Weiller
Fédération Nationale des Métiers de la Jardinerie