Gardening Clout of Titchmarsh

Alan Titchmarsh is apparently influencing our gardening purchase decisions in the same way that Delia Smith's take on cooking is steering our food shopping. This is according to new research by Ipsos UK conducted over the key gardening period of Easter.

Ipsos found that around the 8% of us Brits shopping for gardening stuff over the Easter weekend did so because of a recommendation on Alan's TV programmes. The majority of these did so because they had jobs to do in the garden (49%), although the fine weather was also a major contributory factor to buying (25%). Overall, this type of shopping proved to be the most popular amongst people aged 35-54 years, and amongst the higher social groups (AB).

In total, the survey showed that one quarter (25%) of the British public went shopping for either DIY or gardening products over the Easter weekend, with 14% shopping for gardening products. Looking at store choice, the survey examined the ongoing war between the DIY stores. The responses showed that, on this occasion, the clear winner was B&Q, visited by more than half (52%) of those who had shopped. Homebase and local garden centres were the next most popular destinations (22% each), followed by Focus (15%) and Wickes (10%).

Ipsos-UK conducted the study using Capibus, their weekly in-home omnibus. The research was based on 2,000 interviews with adults aged 15+ between the 5th - 11th April 2002.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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