Shoppers buy flowers on impulse, not price, survey shows

Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and inflation, cut flowers remain a non-price-led purchase, presenting convenience stores with an opportunity to drive incremental sales, a new survey has revealed.

Almost three quarters of UK consumers (72%) only buy cut flowers in person for themselves and around two thirds (62%) only buy in-store to gift to someone else according to the latest consumer research by product intelligence business Vypr.

When asked why they don’t buy online, the top three answers were more choice (23%), they prefer to give a gift in person (23%) and they offer better value (13%). While value appears in the top three key factors, sales are not driven by lower price with consumers saying they are encouraged by bigger bunches that offer better value rather than lower priced flowers in general. Bigger bunches for better value was suggested by 21 percent compared to those who shop on price alone at just 5 percent.

The other factors that would encourage shoppers to spend more are longer lasting flowers for almost a third (30%) and attractive displays for 12 percent.