Traceability: How Florists Are Adapting to New Consumer Habits
On October 3, 2022, the Traceability Conference, organized by the National Union of Florists (UNF), was held. The goal of this event was to anticipate regulatory changes by establishing a roadmap for industry stakeholders—particularly florists—to improve transparency regarding the origin of each flower sold in stores. This initiative underscores the extent to which florists are working to promote responsibility within the industry as All Saints’ Day approaches.
The flower market is regularly criticized for the social and environmental consequences resulting from its structure: our flower-buying habits have gradually become detached from seasonal realities, and many consumers seek out certain flowers year-round, regardless of their natural blooming season.
One notable example is the red rose, the very symbol of the globalization of the flower market. To replicate the climatic conditions necessary for year-round blooming, growers have two options. The first option is to build heated greenhouses, which consume enormous amounts of energy—a model whose viability is being seriously called into question by the skyrocketing price of natural gas, which could significantly erode the profitability of such a system. The second option is to relocate production to countries that can offer a sufficiently warm climate, primarily in Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya) or South America (Colombia and Ecuador), which involves complex logistics that increase the carbon footprint of each stem.
I find my bouquet of flowers
A desire among customers to buy more French flowers
However, consumers want to be better informed about the origin of the products they consume: according to a survey conducted by LSA Conso in 2021, 80% of respondents said they seek information about the origin of products. And they do so with the aim of consuming more domestically produced goods: according to a 2018 IFOP survey commissioned by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, 74% of French people are even willing to pay more to buy French products.
The flower market is no exception to this trend. A recent study conducted by Kantar on behalf of the Dutch Flower Council is unequivocal: 90% of consumers say they are willing to choose locally produced flowers. However, only one-third of those surveyed actually do so, largely due to a lack of information about the traceability of individual stems, but also because of a lack of availability.
In fact, of all the flowers sold in France, only 8% come from French horticulture, which has seen its agricultural sector shrink dramatically over the past 10 years: it is estimated that nearly 90% of flower farms have gone out of business. And some inconsistencies remain: 40% of the flowers produced in France are exported due to a lack of domestic demand.
When it comes to traceability, it is precisely to meet this new consumer demand that florists’ trade associations—led by the UNF—have come together. The goal is to take the initiative without waiting for legislation, in order to prepare the market for this major change by involving all stakeholders in the industry.
Giving Florists a Voice on All Saints' Day
As All Saints’ Day approaches—one of the most important times of the year for artisanal florists—it is important to address the challenges they face. That is why the Sessile collective wishes to highlight how florists, who are often blamed for the imbalances in the industry, are in fact highly proactive when it comes to making their practices more sustainable.
To support them in this effort, the Sessile collective is working to transform production methods by changing distribution channels: by enabling florists to break free from the catalog-driven model—which often forces them to carry the same flowers year-round and limits their inventory choices—Sessile gives florists greater flexibility to offer seasonal flowers and more French-grown flowers. In addition, indicating the origin of the flowers is a good practice adopted by some of the collective’s florists when they list their bouquets online.
To improve traceability, provide florists with the right tools
Despite florists’ willingness to highlight the origin of their flowers and source more from French growers, they currently lack the necessary resources, which limits the impact of their efforts.
Among the main obstacles to clear traceability of flowers are, unsurprisingly, the numerous intermediaries that exist between the producer and the florist. That is why it is necessary to consider a tool that facilitates local sourcing for artisan florists. This is why the Sessile collective is working to develop a platform that lists French producers, in order to match supply with demand. The goal: to shorten the distance French flowers travel from growers to florists’ displays.
Furthermore, this project would also address a second obstacle to improving the traceability of flowers: the lack of digitalization among flower growers. By providing growers with a dedicated online space, Sessile would enable them to easily promote their crops and keep their inventory up to date.
Who are we?
Sessile champions the independence of artisan florists online. Founded in 2019 by six friends, Sessile brings together 500 florists committed to transforming the industry and enables flower delivery throughout France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. By breaking away from the traditional online catalog model, the network highlights each florist’s expertise and helps keep the art of floristry alive. Florists can pursue their passion and create more creative bouquets because they have greater freedom to offer seasonal flowers and, whenever possible, locally sourced flowers.
