News » 17.09.2025 - New Zealand: Auckland florists say industry in "shambles"

With rising costs and decreased business, Auckland florists say their industry is in shambles, plagued with "resentment and a culture of fear". Checkpoint spoke to a number of florists who all said they were unhappy, and struggling to keep their businesses blooming.

While the state of the economy was one factor, they said it was a raft of changes made by their key supplier that had become the real issue. The florists had concerns about the way their key supplier, United Flower Growers was now operating its market, first shifting the auction online, before moving to a less accessible location.

But many of the florists spoken to by Checkpoint were too scared to raise their concerns with UFG, fearing if they spoke out against the company they would be blacklisted, and their business put at risk. For that reason, only a slim portion of the florists Checkpoint spoke to have chosen to go on the record, all five of those asking to remain anonymous.

Flower sellers said the first key issue arose when UFG announced it was moving its auction exclusively online from early 2025. Prior to the change buyers would gather at the market three mornings a week, ready to bid on bunches of flowers.
 

 

Source: www.floraldaily.com

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