// Supermarkets are bracing themselves for a surge in Christmas tree sales this weekend
// Despite still being in November and 28 days before Christmas Day, many shoppers are expected to get into the festive mood early
Demand for Christmas trees is expected to spike by 15 per cent this year as shoppers get into the festive mood early – with the rush expected to begin this weekend.
It had been dubbed “Christmas Tree Saturday”, despite being in November and 28 days before Christmas Day.
Tesco says it is stocking up on longer-lasting, non-drop Christmas trees such as the Nordman fir to meet the demand for trees to last the extended season.
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Tesco horticulture spokeswoman Lottie Morrison said: “Over the last few years we’ve noticed bulk sales starting earlier in the festive season with a major increase in shoppers choosing longer-lasting, non-drop Christmas trees like the Nordman Fir.
“The trend has become so pronounced and widespread across the whole of the UK that we now refer to the event as Christmas Tree Saturday.
“This year we are anticipating an even earlier rush – at the end of November – on account of last year’s Christmas party celebrations being cancelled because of the pandemic.
“While most of those early sales will happen on the Saturday we do see a spike across the whole weekend – and the following weekend – as it gives families the chance to enjoy the decorating ceremony together.”
The early sales have also been noticed by Europe’s largest Christmas tree wholesalers, Needlefresh, based in Foxhill, near Swindon in Wiltshire, who also supply Tesco.
The company, which has a team of dedicated growers across the UK, sells 800,000 pot-grown trees every year.
The company’s Managing Director, George Hood said: “This year is going to be very special on account of lockdown and we are gearing up for this coming weekend to be busier than normal.
“Over the last few years the bulk of our sales have come in the first weekend of December but this year we are anticipating Saturday Nov 27 to be much busier.”
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