Diversity as a strength

Garden centres play a key role in the gardening and DIY market in France. In 2025, the total gardening market reached a volume of EUR 8.5 bn euros. Of this, EUR 3.4 bn euros was accounted for by garden centres, representing a 39 per cent share. The remainder of the garden market is split between DIY stores (33 per cent), supermarkets (16 per cent) and e-commerce (12 per cent). The sector is considered mature but remains under pressure due to competition from DIY stores, large-format retailers, online retailers and local suppliers.

As at 1 January 2026, there were 3,120 garden centres and so-called LISA outlets (Libre Service Agricole – self-service agricultural retailers) in France, with a total retail area of 6.2 million m². By comparison, the large DIY stores accounted for around 8.6 million m².

The average size varies considerably depending on the sales channel: a garden centre averages 3,100 m², whereas a self-service agricultural retailer averages 780 m².

The sector features a number of well-known brands such as Gamm Vert, Jardiland, Truffaut, Botanic, Villaverde, Delbard, Jardi Leclerc and Magasin Vert/Point Vert. However, these brands represent very different business models: chain stores, cooperatives and their partner businesses, franchise companies, co-operatives or independent shops. This diversity is a strength, even if it is accompanied by a certain degree of structural vulnerability.

In 2025, garden centres recorded a 2.3 per cent decline in gross turnover compared with 2024. Not all product categories were affected to the same extent. The plants segment remained stable, accounting for 29 per cent of the sector’s turnover. Garden care suffered a 2 per cent decline in 2025, whilst garden design and outdoor decoration grew by 1 per cent. By contrast, whilst the pets segment accounts for around 25 per cent of garden centre turnover, it remains one of the product categories that has shrunk the most, with a decline of 3.8 per cent in 2025. This trend reflects, in particular, the pressure exerted by online retail and by new entrants to the brick-and-mortar retail sector.

Demand continues to be underpinned by the French people’s attachment to their gardens. In 2025, 64 per cent will have a garden, although there are significant differences depending on housing status and place of residence: 82 per cent of homeowners compared with 35 per cent of tenants, and 91 per cent in rural areas compared with 44 per cent in the Greater Paris area. The customer base consists predominantly of women, and 37 per cent of buyers are aged 65 or over. A generational shift is on the horizon for the sector.