Historic record in sales on flower market in Romania
Romanians celebrate in March the beginning of spring! This symbol is called the Mărţişor because during the whole month especially women are offered a Mărţişor, representing a small jewel or a small decoration tied to a red and white string. Mărțișor is an old tradition celebrated all over Romania every year, on March 1st.
The 1st and 8th of March are the peak sales days for florists in Romania and, with more than 2.5 million bouquets sold on these days, the flower market will reach a new historical sales record of almost 40 million euros. Beyond flowers and gifts of all kinds, flowers are the most sold product in Romania these days.
The estimate takes into account that 4.6 million women over the age of 18 live in urban areas, where more than 90% of flowers are sold, and that at least half of the ladies and young ladies will receive a bouquet of flowers during this period, at an average price of 15 euros.
This year, the estimate flower business is approaching 40 million euros, almost 10 million euros more than the 2023 estimate, including only the retail of flowers. By comparison, in 2020, the flower business exceeded 20 million euros. According to analysts, the spectacular sales dynamic is primarily due to the significant increase in the price of flowers, which has also significantly increased the turnover of more than 7,700 companies operating in this sector. In terms of supply, the most sought after flowers at this time of year are snowdrops, freesia, hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. Apart from seasonal flowers, roses, considered the symbol of love, are still in great demand.
Most flowers sold on the Romanian market come from imports, about 80%, the rest being covered by national market. The largest percentage of flower suppliers to Romania are companies from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which have a dominant position in this sector, being recognized for the quality of their products and services. In fact, the Netherlands is the largest exporter of flowers in the European Union, accounting for 87% of flower exports from EU Member States.
The last year for which the Finance Ministry presents final financial data, 2022, took the Romanian flower business to 2.2 billion lei. By comparison, 10 years ago, in 2014, the flower market reported a turnover of 491.3 million lei. At the same time, companies in the flower retail sector have managed to significantly increase their profitability, reporting a net profit of over 200 million lei in 2023, compared to 150 million lei in 2022 and 23 million lei in 2014.
The flower market has grown spectacularly in recent years, as the number of companies in this sector has doubled in the last 10 years, as well as the number of employees. The significant development of the business came both on the background of the increasing interest of investors in this area and especially as a result of the significant reduction of the black market, of tax evasion in this sector.