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Florist comparing wholesale flower prices and suppliers.

Are You Paying Too Much for Your Flowers?

By Zoe Abbott 10th August 2026

Are You Paying Too Much for Your Flowers?

When was the last time you booked a holiday without comparing prices? Or renewed your electricity or insurance without checking what else was available?

Comparison buying is everywhere. We compare holidays, energy and insurance — but what about flowers, sundries and the other services your florist business relies on?

Floristry has traditionally been built around supplier loyalty, but sticking with the same one or two suppliers doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the best value.

Why Comparison Buying Matters

Comparison buying isn't simply about finding the cheapest stem. It's about understanding the total cost of what your business buys throughout the year.

One supplier might have the best price on lilies but be expensive on carnations. Another could be the complete opposite. The saving you make on one line can quickly be wiped out by overspending on another.

That's why it pays to compare.

Understanding Annual Overspend

A difference of 20p, 30p or 40p per stem might not sound significant. But multiply it by the number of stems you buy every week and suddenly those pennies become thousands of pounds.

To demonstrate this, we'll use the 60-week rule: the normal 52 weeks of trading plus the equivalent of eight additional weeks to account for increased buying during peak periods.

Example 1: Lilies

Take a 1 metre Santander lily with 4+ heads from Paauw Lilies. At the time of comparison, prices ranged from £1.17 to £1.65 per stem.

That's a difference of 48p.

48p × 30 stems per week = £14.40
£14.40 × 60 weeks = £864 Annual Overspend

Example 2: Carnations

Now take a 70cm pink Colombian carnation, fancy grade. Prices ranged from 22p to 41p per stem.

That's a difference of just 19p, but if you're buying 150 stems each week:

19p × 150 stems = £28.50
£28.50 × 60 weeks = £1,710 Annual Overspend

Small Differences Soon Add Up

We're only comparing two flower lines, yet the difference is already significant. Now consider that a typical florist might stock 25 or 30 different lines of flowers and foliage every week.

Some suppliers charge for delivery and others don't, but that can simply be added to the calculation. The important thing is to compare the total cost, not just the advertised stem price.

Is Comparing Worth Your Time?

Even if comparing suppliers took an extra hour every week, a saving of £2,970 over 52 hours would value that time at around £57 an hour.

And that's based on only two examples.

Supplier Loyalty or Smarter Buying?

Good supplier relationships still matter. Quality, reliability and service should always be considered alongside price.

But loyalty doesn't mean you shouldn't know what else is available.

Open several webshops, compare equivalent products and grades, include delivery charges and keep track of the differences. Picking up the best prices across different suppliers could make a substantial difference to your costs over the year.

Don't just look at the pennies. Multiply them by a week, a year and your entire flower order — that's when the real cost becomes clear.

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