The garden market is expected to decline by 2% in 2025 and is undergoing a profound change in purchasing behavior.

This still provisional assessment marks a fourth consecutive year of declining demand. But beyond the figures, a deeper shift in purchasing behavior is confirmed. This dynamic is also highlighted by the Promojardin-Promanimal consumer barometer, which allows for direct surveys of buyers and provides unique insights into market fluctuations.

A year largely in the red, despite a promising spring

Spring 2025 offered a glimmer of hope for garden professionals. In April and May, milder weather and the return of consumers to stores had led to a significant surge in activity. By the end of May, the market was even showing a 3% year-on-year increase.

But the improvement was short-lived. Sales began to decline again in June, amid often unstable weather and widespread consumer hesitancy. October did offer a further rebound, but it was too late and too limited to reverse the trend. According to data from its exclusive panel, Promojardin-Promanimal anticipates a 2% decline in the garden market by 2025, marking a fourth consecutive year of decline.

Persistent headwinds

Three factors explain this new decline:

• household consumption remains cautious, despite the decline in inflation;
• a real estate market in sharp slowdown, particularly in new construction, which is hindering outdoor development projects;
• unstable weather, which disrupts the traditional seasonal markers of the sector.

These constraints, once temporary, are now becoming long-term and are redefining the conditions of activity in the sector.

The French still garden… but buy less

According to the Promojardin-Promanimal consumer barometer, 85% of French people with outdoor space gardened in 2025, a level almost unchanged from 2024 (86%). However, only 68% purchased at least one gardening product, compared to 76% the previous year.

This disconnect between use and consumption reflects a profound evolution: the garden remains a space for well-being and pleasure, but the act of purchasing becomes more occasional, more deliberate, and more sensitive to economic and climatic uncertainties.

Technical products in difficulty, plant and leisure activities in resistance

In an overall declining market, not all categories grew at the same pace in 2025. Segments related to heavy equipment (power tools, outdoor furniture, hand tools) were the most impacted, with significant decreases in both value and volume. Heavily reliant on investment projects, these sectors suffer from an environment unfavorable to long-term purchases.

Conversely, plants are holding up better, confirming their central role in gardening. This dynamic also benefits gardening products (potting soils, treatments, small equipment) and containers, often purchased as accessories. The same trend is evident in the leisure sector (furniture, barbecues, swimming pools, etc.), which are beginning to rebound after the sharp downturn of 2024.

Distribution channels: contrasting trajectories

Circuit analysis confirms these dynamics:

• Supermarkets are holding their own, driven by the outdoor and garden leisure categories (garden furniture, barbecues, games, etc.) which are well represented on the shelves.
• DIY superstores (GSB) are experiencing a marked decline, penalized by their heavy exposure to equipment products and home improvement projects.
• Garden centres and Lisas show a moderate decline (around -2%), but retain a structuring role thanks to their expertise, their local roots and the diversity of their offering.

According to Roland Motte, President of Promojardin-Promanimal: “Thanks to our panel of distributors, we have a very precise and responsive understanding of the market. This fourth year of decline can no longer be explained solely by the economic climate. It's a real shift in behavior. Consumption is becoming fragmented, more selective, and more focused. To recover, the market will have to invest in useful solutions, innovation… and above all, the ability to reignite desire. This desire must be felt everywhere: in the products, in the displays, and in the teams that welcome customers.”

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.