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​What is it with everyone going crazy in December for groceries, including the retailers themselves? We all saw the 15p vegetables in Tesco, right?! At what point do retailers start giving it to customers free of charge just to get them in the door? Whether that tactic actually works and pulls in increased footfall/market share is, in my eyes, yet to be determined. I can’t help but feel sorry for the growers and producers who see their products devalued. Yes, they get increased volumes and presumably, for the most part, the same prices from the retailers. But the average consumer must question “Why aren’t they this price year round?” or “Are they overcharging us for the rest of the year?”The latest data from Kantar headlines, ‘Household spending reaches new high as shoppers splash out on premium lines and festive fizz’.It was found that household spending on take-home groceries hit a record high at Christmas at £460 on average and rose by 2.1% over the four weeks to 29 December compared with last year meaning supermarket sales surpassed £13 million during the 4 weeks of December.Kantar states that the average household made nearly 17 separate shopping trips this December – the busiest month for retailers since the pre-lockdown rush in March 2020! I thought I was the only one who ran around like a headless chicken and failed on several visits to do “the big Christmas shop” to get all of the things I forgot on the first failed attempts. Whilst this stat made me feel better about how disorganised I was, it also highlighted what a fantastic opportunity the holiday period is for retailers and suppliers to grab the attention of shoppers and win/keep their business. Category data shows the difference in generations, with those under 45s opting for a sausage roll, panettone, antipasti & party food while those over 45s accounted for the majority of Christmas Cake and fortified wine sales. “The seasonal biscuit, however, knows no bounds appealing across the generations”, how does this sit with your household & generation? There wasn’t a single biscuit consumed in the Edmondson-Matthews household over Christmas, so we must be in the minority there. Instead, we opted for a mixture of party food for the Christmas build-up and New Year and a traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings for the big day. NB I did want to cook a Beef Wellington as a main and avoid turkey but got overruled by my wife as the in-laws said the turkey was a must. If your Christmas dinner spans multiple generations and family members, as many do, I think the data has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Read the full report form Kantar here.If you’d be interested in chatting about your thoughts on the sector, Christmas delivery, prices, data or have a general natter, please get in touch at Tom@morepeople.co.uk

Our dedicated Professional Services team do a fantastic job at recruiting within our specialist industries, whether it be Food, Fresh Produce, Horticulture or Agriculture. It is evident that professional services roles can be found within every business in these sectors and with the vast talent pool our team have created, they are very successful at finding perfect matches.​What roles do Professional Services cover?Finance – CFO through to Accounts Assistant, with Business Partnering, Analyst and Data roles included. Human Resources – People Director through to Admin/Assistants. Information Technology – Again, Head of roles through to assistants, support desk and analyst positions. Admin / Business Support – Everything admin, PA, sales, Office Manager etc.​ Hear some feedback from our clients:"We have worked with MorePeople in various areas of the business, but we had never worked with their HR team. We had a requirement, and gave them a go, and from the off they didn’t disappoint. Natalie was upfront and honest at every step of the way, and the candidate she provided has been successful and hit the ground running, making waves still now. We couldn’t be happier. I can’t recommend them enough, and if you use them in Technical or Operations, I encourage you to use them in all aspects, they won’t disappoint". Continue Reading"Our relationship with MorePeople has been ongoing for some years.  We've had the pleasure of working across many functions that their business has to offer, whilst building existing and brand-new teams. MorePeople has always provided us with good calibre candidates and are very clear with their communication throughout processes". Continue Reading"We have found MorePeople a joy to work with on a number of occasions. Most recently we have worked with Sandra to recruit a Management Accountant and she was absolutely fantastic from start to finish". Continue Reading.​Get in touchYou can reach our consultants via their contact details below, or by calling our main line on 01780 480 530.Sandra Poskaityte | Executive Consultant | 07375 967 911| sandra@morepeople.co.ukNatalie Overland | Consultant | 07841 037 154 | natalie.overland@morepeople.co.ukAngus Macbeth | Consultant | 07375 967 908 | angus@morepeople.co.uk

​2024 has been a rollercoaster for garden centres, with a mix of successes and challenges shaping sales compared to 2023. While the year started on a positive note, unpredictable weather and shifting consumer habits added some unexpected twists along the way. Early 2024 brought heavy rainfall—February alone saw more than three times the usual levels compared to the same month in 2023. Surprisingly, sales still managed to grow by 6% year-on-year. However, it wasn’t the traditional gardening categories driving this growth but areas like catering, which saw an impressive 20% increase. It seems customers were more interested in enjoying a warm coffee and a slice of cake indoors than braving the rain for outdoor purchases! By mid-year, the momentum slowed. June, typically a strong month for garden centres, recorded a 3% drop in sales compared to June 2023. Outdoor plant sales were hit hardest as poor weather discouraged gardeners from spending time outside. Industry experts highlighted how garden centre success often depends on foot traffic and spontaneous purchases—both of which take a hit during prolonged bad weather. Fortunately, sales rebounded towards the end of the year. November saw a 6% increase compared to the same month in 2023, with Christmas products leading the way. These seasonal items accounted for around 26% of total sales, while catering continued to shine with a 9% boost. Food and farm shop categories also performed well, seeing a modest 3% rise. Looking at the full year, total sales were up by around 1% compared to 2023. But there’s a caveat: when catering is excluded, sales actually dipped by 1%. This highlights just how important non-gardening categories have become in keeping overall performance steady. The sector had to navigate rising energy costs, staffing shortages, and increasing wages, all of which put pressure on margins. Yet, despite these obstacles, major players like Blue Diamond expanded their operations and achieved record turnovers. It’s proof that with the right strategy, growth is still achievable. In summary, 2024 tested the resilience and adaptability of garden centres. While weather and economic pressures posed significant challenges, diversification into catering and seasonal products proved to be a successful strategy.Here’s to hoping 2025 brings better weather and even stronger results!The Garden Centre Retail team at MorePeople are always up for a chat about industry trends, we're speaking with candidates and clients daily and with our ever-growing network, we can help find the best candidates and opportunities for the industry! Felicity Mitchell | Senior Consultant, Garden Centres | Felicity@morepeople.co.ukMichail Michailou | Consultant, Garden Centres | Michail@morepeople.co.uk

​We started our sponsorship with Stamford AFC with some lovely advertising boards around the pitch back in September 2023. Then in June 2024, The MorePeople Stand was created! Our design was inspired by the Stamford AFC badge, incorporating the three lions and chequerboard. As we continue to support Stamford AFC, being our local club, we’re proud to announce MorePeople is the sponsor of the Women’s Team Kit as well – which is purple of course! It was only right that the team bought their very own shirt for 2025, MorePeople’s 25th Anniversary year!MorePeople CEO, Andrew Fitzmaurice, comments;“We love supporting our local football teams and now to be across both the men’s and women’s teams at Stamford AFC. Much like the process of creating the advertising boards and the stand images, it’s been a huge amount of fun to collaborate on a kit. It had to be purple of course – and we were thrilled that the club allowed us to use it. We wanted to emulate the first team kit as well as incorporating a MorePeople flavour. The team at Chroma and Macron also played their part and it was lovely to work with people who shared our vision. Let’s hope that the pride felt when wearing the new kit inspires the team to a new level of success!” 

​​​Name: Ryan BainboroughRole: Team Manager, Rural ProfessionalsJoined MorePeople: September 2024​​​​​​1.Describe your job in three words: Challenging, fun, rewarding2.What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now? Crown Estate Director position 3.Which famous person would you love to meet? David Beckham4.Favourite drink? Coffee5.Best holiday destination so far? Australia6.What are you currently reading? The Warrior, The Strategist & You - Floyd Woodrow7.Current favourite song? Bar song, Shaboozey8.If you weren’t a recruiter, what would you be? Farmer9.If you had to watch only one TV show over and over forever, which one would it be? Clarkson's Farm10.What’s your biggest claim to fame? Playing for the England Ice Hockey Team11.Where were you born? Oxford12.What’s your proudest moment? Winning the league and playoffs double for Chelmsford Chieftains13.Dogs or Cats? Dogs!14.Which football team do you support? Nottingham Forest15.What skill do you wish you possess? Speaking multiple languages16.What’s your guilty pleasure? ABBA17.What did you want to be when you were a kid? A farmer18.What three things are you taking to a deserted island? Toy tractor, water and dumbbells 19.Do you have any phobia? Snakes20.Where are you next going on holiday? Greece21.What’s your least favourite household chore? Cleaning the bathroom22.Describe MorePeople in three words: Ambitious, supportive and fun23.What do you love most about your sector? We get to engage with the rural and agricultural community24.Who inspires you? My mum25.What is the worst job you ever had? Worked in a pharmaceutical packaging factory during holidays whilst I was at college

​​Name:Rachel RichardsonRole: Consultant, Rural ProfessionalsJoined MorePeople: September 2024​​​​​1.Describe your job in three words: Fun, varied, busy2.What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now? Land Right Surveyor3.Which famous person would you love to meet? Dan Biggar4.Favourite drink? Gin & Tonic5.Best holiday destination so far? Madagascar6.What are you currently reading? The bullet that missed – Richard Osman7.Current favourite song? Taste – Sabrina Carpenter8.If you weren’t a recruiter, what would you be? Doing something in the agricultural industry 9.If you had to watch only one TV show over and over forever, which one would it be? Death in Paradise (don’t judge)10.What’s your biggest claim to fame? I played in a brass band for King Charles, I will let you guess which instrument11.Where were you born? Huntingdon12.What’s your proudest moment? Winning hockey varsity with my team at uni13.Dogs or Cats? Dogs14.Which football team do you support? I don’t support a football team but love watching the rugby and have been a Saints fan since I was 915.What skill do you wish you possess? I wish I could ski a lot better than I can16.What’s your guilty pleasure? Eating the food I have grown at my allotment17.What did you want to be when you were a kid? Gymnast18.What three things are you taking to a deserted island? Just my radio!19.Do you have any phobia? Heights20.Where are you next going on holiday? Portugal for a hen party21.What’s your least favourite household chore? Washing Up22.Describe MorePeople in three words: Supportive, Innovative, Exciting23.What do you love most about your sector? The passion those in the industry have24.Who inspires you? Kate Middleton 25.What is the worst job you ever had? Behind a bar serving drink, I am way too clumsy and too short to reach the top shelf