Coronavirus crisis: Safety comes first in the gardening industry

The green sector in Germany is reacting to the current exceptional situation with joint measures. Diy stores and garden centers protect employees and customers.

In difficult times in paticular, the garden becomes more important as a retreat. Gardening becomes a meaningful activity as compensation for the work in the home office or for now prohibited leisure activities. This poses a special challenge for operators of DIY stores and garden centers: on the one hand, the demand for garden products increases, and on the other hand, the requirements for the health and safety of customers and employees increase.

Specialist stores for garden supplies are currently subjected to a particular stress test. Many of the assortments sold here belong to the basic needs of the citizens. Among other things, materials for the management of gardens and for self-sufficiency with seeds and seedlings are sold here. As system-relevant units, they therefore maintain operation under significantly more difficult conditions.

The industry has agreed extensive security measures for the trade. Keeping distance and hygiene are top priorities, for example. The garden trade and hardware stores draw attention to these measures with a new online offer. The new platform www.mit-abstand-gruen.de was developed by the Handelsverband Heimwerken, Bauen und Garten (BHB), the Garden Industry Association (IVG), the Association of German Garden Centers (VDG) and the Zentralverband Gartenbau (ZVG) initiated.

"We would like to demonstrate to our customers and politicians how the green sector is implementing the protective measures in an exemplary manner," says VDG Managing Director Peter Botz about the new platform. IVG Managing Director Anna Hackstein adds: "The level of uncertainty among the population is currently very high - with the measures implemented and the associated website, we would like to convey that the safety of customers and employees is our top priority."

With the new website, gardeners, garden centers, and hardware stores show how businesses can act even in the Coronavirus crisis. Open companies that register in the database undertake to take the recommended security measures into account. In partnership, possible supply shortages are minimized and the needs of customers are met as best as possible.

The current situation affects the entire value chain of horticulture - from production to trade to final sale. Given the great challenge this year, producers, retailers and marketers of flowers and plants are standing together. The associations at the federal and state levels are also looking for solutions to this exceptional situation together with politicians and the responsible ministries.