Florists NAICS 459310

Jun 27, 2025 - Employment Falls, Wages Up

• Employment by florists fell by 2.7% in April 2025 year over year, continuing an ongoing decline in the industry, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment by florists decreased 13.3% in the past decade, much lower than the 13.6% growth in overall private employment. Meanwhile, wages at miscellaneous retailers, including florists, grew 4.4% in April 2025 year over year. According to the Consumer Price Index, prices for indoor plants and flowers were up 0.7% in May 2025 year over year. Leading industry indicators showed improvement in February 2025, with consumer spending up 2.7% compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
• According to a report in CFO Dive, consumer sentiment, an indicator of discretionary spending, rose in June in large part due to a lull in the tariff war. The final index of consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan grew 15.9% in June 2025 from the previous month, as the Trump administration put some tariffs on hold against major US trade partners. Year over year, the index of consumer sentiment was down 11.3%. An index measuring consumers’ expectations for the future was up 21.9% from the previous month, but was down 16.1% year over year. According to survey director Joanne Hsu, “Consumers appear to have settled somewhat from the shock of the extremely high tariffs announced in April and the policy volatility seen in the weeks that followed.” Hsu noted that consumers’ views of business conditions, personal finances, buying conditions for big ticket items, labor markets and stock markets all remain below six months ago.

• Many florists are preparing for higher flower prices and other adverse impacts from new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, according to recent reports by the Society of American Florists (SAF). The SAF has called for floral products from trade partners to be exempted from the tariffs. Over 85% of cut flowers purchased in the US are grown in other countries, which were duty-free and now face tariffs. Of the top 10 cut flower suppliers to the US, eight countries face new and higher tariffs of between 10% to 19% in total. Additionally, many floral supplies, such as vases, floral foam, plastic sleeves, and ribbon, are imported and facing tariffs as high as 145%. The SAF noted that staff cuts at the USDA-APHIS have slowed the inspection and processing of imported floriculture products at US ports of entry, and future Reductions in Force (RIF) threaten further delays and shortages.
• The US florist industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.28% between 2025 and 2029, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is slower than the overall economy's projected growth. The retail and wholesale sectors are driven by consumer spending, along with expenditure by businesses and government. A factor that may limit consumer spending is higher tariffs on consumer goods. On a positive note, lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer to an extent if average prices rise due to tariff implementation. The forecast said retail spending could soften with the growth of spending on consumer services, but noted that consumers so far have maintained spending on goods even as spending on travel and live entertainment has risen.