The lawn and garden industry has seen impressive growth over the past several quarters, with the pandemic pushing more people to spend more time tending to their homes.
Average consumer household spend on lawn and garden supplies surged 29.1% last year.
As the market remains uncertain and consumer habits continue to fluctuate, what does the future hold for the lawn and garden industry? If you are a lawn and garden brand or retailer, how can you confidently make decisions about your marketing strategy in 2022 and beyond?
In this article, we’ll dive into the latest lawn and garden industry stats and trends, how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted this industry, and tips and strategies for lawn and garden brands in 2021.
2021 Lawn & Garden Industry Trends & Stats
According to a research report released in August 2021, the global home and garden pesticides market is expected to reach $10.88 billion by 2028.
The herbicides segment dominates the market, accounting for over 40% of revenue share in 2020. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% from 2021 to 2028, with the garden application segment expected to exhibit the highest growth rate.
The home and garden B2C ecommerce market is expected to grow by nearly $102 billion from 2020 to 2024.
With consumers spending more time at home, outdoor furniture sales are growing. The global outdoor furniture market was valued at $17.1 billion last year and is expected to grow to $17.7 billion this year.
Next year, the outdoor furniture market is expected to reach a value of $18.59 billion.
What lawn and garden brands are consumers buying from the most? Craftsman and Black & Decker are nearly tied as the top lawn and garden brand among US households – but Black & Decker is catching up, with 3.12 million Americans purchasing Black & Decker products last year compared to 2.67 million for Craftsman.
What about the products consumers are buying from lawn and garden brands the most? Leaf blowers and vacuums are the most common type of lawn and garden tools Americans own, followed by hedge trimmers and fertilizer spreaders. 69.07 million Americans own riding lawn mowers, with 102.85 owning walk-behind mowers.
COVID-19’s Impact on the Lawn & Garden Industry
As the pandemic started to take shape in April 2020 and consumers began to focus more on the livability of their homes, the home and garden industry saw booming growth, including an 83% increase in referrals.
Order volume for home and garden industry brands increased 55% in April 2020.
After hovering around the $120 mark since 2017, the average consumer household’s spend on lawn and garden supplies increased 29.1% to $155.07 last year.
The number of Americans who own lawn and garden equipment is also on the rise. In 2019, 223.7 million Americans owned lawn and garden equipment. That number is expected to grow to 232.9 million next year and 237.2 million by 2024.
The number of Americans who own lawn and garden equipment grew 2.27% in 2020 to reach 228.7 million.
The garden application segment made up 75% of the home pesticides market in 2020. North America grabbed the largest share, with the U.S. and Canada accounting for over 35% of home garden pesticide sales in 2020.
Revenue for lawn and outdoor equipment stores grew 5.6% in 2020. As in-store shopping habits continue to fluctuate, revenue for lawn and outdoor equipment stores is expected to grow 2.3% to reach $10.1 billion this year.
The pandemic brought growth not only to lawn and garden ecommerce but also to services, with consumer spend on gardening and lawn care services growing 8.39% to $170.77 per household last year after seeing consistently minimal growth over the past 5+ years.
Lawn & Garden Industry Strategies & Tips for Brands
Gardening is a key trend in North America right now, with consumers tending to gardens ranging from large outdoor lawns to kitchen window herbs. It’s no wonder that North America accounts for 35% of global revenue for home and garden pesticides! How can your brand capitalize on the opportunity even if you aren’t specifically a lawn and garden care or outdoor furniture brand?
Think of all the ways your product could be tied to products in the lawn and garden industry and go from there. For example, how could your brand’s product(s) be used in a backyard social area? Maybe you’re a clothing or apparel brand that can cater to customers having autumn bonfires in their backyard, or a grilling brand that can cater to other customers taking advantage of the fall cooldown. Maybe you sell cups that keep a customer’s drink warm in the cold or decorative products that could supplement an outdoor seating area.
Don’t underestimate the massive power of ecommerce for the lawn and garden industry. Consumers are more comfortable than ever shopping online for bulky and big-ticket products that they’ve traditionally bought in store, including outdoor furniture and grills – and you can count on them to have high expectations for their online shopping experience. 88% of shoppers won’t return to a website after a poor user experience, so make sure your site is optimized for converting your target customers.
Next Steps?
Are you a brand in the lawn and garden industry with big goals for Q4, 2022, and beyond? Our team would love to work with you to not just achieve but exceed your objectives. Reach out to connect with one of ROI’s proven digital experts who can help identify untapped growth potential for your business.
