It wouldn’t be Christmas without a few curveballs, and the potential shortage of Christmas trees could be a disastrous one. With new processes brought in through Brexit, growers this year have warned of shortages.  

It’s estimated that Britain goes through a staggering 8 to 10 million trees every Christmas time, one third of which are imported from Europe each year. This year Primrose estimates that 3 million homes this year will be going without a festive tree, unless they choose to buy British. 

Demand for Early Christmas Trees DOUBLES Since 2018

On top of imported shortages, Primrose revealed that demand for Christmas trees is increasing earlier every single year – and this year, it’s higher than ever. 

When investigating Google search data, the online garden centre found that ‘Christmas Trees’ reached a record high last month with over 1.1m searches nationwide, up 102% compared to September searches in 2018. 

Due to an increased demand and an imported tree shortage, Primrose recommends pre-ordering British-grown trees now to guarantee fulfilment ahead of the festive season. 

Evie Lane, Gardening Expert at Primrose says, “With a pandemic festive season keeping people apart last year last year, it’s no surprise that there’s an early demand for Christmas cheer in 2021. Customers should stick to British and pre-order their tree early to guarantee the Christmas they’re hoping for.” 

“It’s never been a better time for those celebrating the festive season to opt for British-grown trees. Buying British is the only way to guarantee a Christmas tree this year with imported tree prices expect to rise by 20% as demand grows. We worry that this money could be wasted when deliveries can’t be made in time for the festive season.”