The way in which B&Q has dropped several of its British growers has been heavily criticized by the NFU. Chief horticulture adviser Hayley Campbell-Gibbons has said that the chain has behaved “disgracefully” in leaving axed suppliers with stockpiles of unsaleable plants.
Given the direction of travel of B&Q in recent years, this move to consolidate its supply base does not come as a surprise. However, what is surprising is the way they went around it. It flies in the face of the direction of travel of all the major food retailers who are now getting closer to British growers and building closer relationships.
It would appear that B&Q are willing to deal with British growers if they can act as category managers and supply product at the right price, but they have little interest in supporting a broad base of British Growers.
This again raises the question of the need for a voluntary code of good trading practice for flowers and plants, as proposed by the late Derf Paton and supported by the NFU.
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