Easter is the first big flower season of the calendar year for stores. The traditional flower shop perseveres under the pressure of mass sales in supermarkets.
The little daffodils placed at the entrances of shops have already been welcoming customers for a couple of weeks before Easter. Yellow onion flowers are generally sold in batches of several pieces for a few euros.
In addition to daffodils, the selections include pearl lilies, violets and tulips.
– When large quantities are bought and large quantities are sold, the price can be set accordingly. There is no fear that the product will run out, smiles Tokmanni’s store manager Taisto Kärkkäinen from Lahti.
Halpamarket’s Easter flower offering is largely domestic and from large suppliers.
Florists specialize
Daffodils, tulips and violets are sold in markets, hardware stores, gas stations and grocery stores.
Easter is also the season for traditional florists. The main focus is on cut flowers and arrangements.
According to Anna Uti, president of the Finnish Florists’ Association, florists’ strengths are professional expertise and skillful flower arranging.
– Different products are applied to the selections than elsewhere. Going into a race with markets is doomed, and no small entrepreneur can do it.
The corona era was a good time for florists in terms of sales. Flowers were also bought and ordered online. According to Uti, the appeal of online shopping is still great.
The general rise in price levels is also felt at the florist’s counter.
– Of course, energy costs and everything else affect the cultivation of flowers and prices at the retail end. If the cucumber becomes more expensive, it will be reflected in the price of the rose in the same way, says Utti.
According to Uti’s estimate, there is as much as a third of the drop in sales compared to the best seasons of the corona era, although the differences by location are large.
The weather and the time of Easter matter
The timing of Easter varies, and it affects the selection of flowers on offer, as does the weather.
The majority of Easter flowers are sold during the week. During the Easter holidays, many sole proprietors may close their shop. The risk is that a disappointed customer will not knock on the door again.
Florist Anneli Järvinen from Lahti will keep her boutique open throughout Easter.
– Maundy Thursday is the best sales day, but there are customers on other days as well. At the weekend, there are various family events, we visit graves and villages, Järvinen says.
