NPD Stat of the Week: Losing ground to 2020 sales

STAT: Lawn and garden sales declined overall in April 2021 but are up compared to April 2019. Contributing to the April year-over-year decline were the 14% decrease in sales of the largest category, bag goods, and the 38% sales loss in the smaller category of concrete pavers/blocks/edgers. However, the decline in bag goods brings sales back to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, and concrete pavers/blocks/edgers are still 36% higher than 2019 results. The strongest April gains came from trees and shrubs (+35%) and plants & planters (+7%).

SOURCE: NPD Group / Checkout.

ANALYSIS: “In April 2020, we were just realizing that the socially-distant life was going last longer than originally expected, increasing the draw of the outdoors," said Joe Derochowski, Home Industry Advisor, The NPD Group. "Whether eating, playing, or keeping ourselves active, the functional products that help with this outdoor lifestyle like bagged goods (mulch, seeds, soil) and concrete pavers/blocks/edgers benefited. As this lifestyle continued into a second year, sales growth of trees, shrubs, plants, and planters demonstrates the consumer’s expanded interest in products that amplify the aesthetic of their homes as they prepare for more in-person connections with friends and family.”

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The NPD Group is a global information company offering data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics. NPD’s Checkout provides receipt-based information on in-store and e-commerce purchases from over 150,000 actively engaged buyers, the largest omnichannel panel focused on general merchandise and foodservice.