The Tulip Troubles: Why Flowers Are About to Get Pricier
Oh dear, grab your wallets, folks, because it seems that the flower market in Norway is about to bloom into a headache for anyone looking to purchase a bouquet! Mester Grønn and Floriss, two of Norway’s venerable flower institutions, are raising their petal-covered hands in surrender. Why, you ask? Because it turns out that those low-cost delights from Chinese platform Temu are having an unexpected side effect—skyrocketing flower prices!
Temu: The Blooming Bandit
According to the bosses of Master Grønn and Floriss, their biggest enemy isn’t some ill-intentioned tulip thief lurking in the shadows; it’s an app! Yes, Temu, the low-cost platform that seemingly offers everything but your dignity, is swooping in and taking up valuable air freight space, causing shipping costs to bloom by a staggering 40-50%. That’s like walking into a florist and being told, “These peonies are $100 now! Just kidding, you’re at Temu.”
The audacity!
Airline Economics: A Flower’s Worst Nightmare
Both flower companies have their bouquets mostly imported from the sun-kissed gardens of Kenya. But alas, the planes they relied on to deliver nature’s beauty are now hogged by Temu’s booming demand! In the spirit of honesty, the airline industry must feel like a kid in a candy store, suddenly realizing the candy is on sale elsewhere and they can sell tickets for triple the price! Who can blame them?
The Winter of Our Discontent: Christmas Approaches
Florist managers and company heads are rubbing their sweaty palms in worry over what Christmas will bring. Beisland and Ølstad are sounding the alarm bells, and we’re not talking about a cute little jingle—this is more like a full-on fire drill! 🚨 With transport capacity dwindling faster than flower sales on Valentine’s Day and prices already rising, they fear many will go into survival mode and use Temu for their decor needs, inadvertently choking their own livelihood.
The Real Cost of Cheap Blooms
Now, let’s talk about the elephant—or rather, the very expensive Norwegian rose—in the room. Customers may think they’re scoring a deal, but here’s the catch: they’re putting the florist at risk of extinction! Ølstad’s got it right when he says, “If you buy from Temu, you’re killing our jobs!”—and that’s not just a gorgeous arrangement of words spun for a press release, it’s a cry for help!
The Suez Canal’s Shocking Closure
And as if shipping costs and flower shortages weren’t enough, Ølstad added salt to the wound with a reminder of the Suez Canal hiccup. Because why not throw in a twist? As if logistics weren’t convoluted enough, throw a canal closure into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for scarcity-turned-pricing-hysteria. With less access to African agricultural imports, you might as well start prepping for a floral Armageddon.
What’s Next for Norwegian Roses?
So what now, flower enthusiasts? Are we ready to pay top dollar for a handful of hot house flowers, or perhaps cull our shopping habits in the name of sustainability? One thing’s for sure—this impending floral crisis calls for action, and maybe even some serious hilarity. After all, when faced with rising prices and floral shortages, at least we can laugh about it…or should I say, we’ll just be forced to “stem” the tide of our floral desires?!
Who knows, if the florists dodge this bullet, perhaps next Valentine’s will bloom bright and beautiful. Until then, let’s hope Temu overextends itself and those flights return to the lovers of Norway’s flower industry—after all, roses are nice, but not if they’re just in our memories because Temu took flight with all the good ones!
Leaders of Norway’s two largest flower chains express concerns that flower prices are set to rise sharply as a result of competition from a Chinese discount platform.
HIT BY TEMU: Master Grønn encounters difficulties with air freight and attributes their struggles to the surge in popularity of Temu. Photo: Hanna Kristin Hjardar / E24 Published: Published:
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The short version
- Norwegian flower companies face soaring transport costs, largely due to the remarkable rise of the Temu platform.
- The enormous demand generated by Temu has significantly diminished the availability of airfreight services from Africa, particularly affecting Mester Grønn.
- Consequently, shipping expenses have surged by an alarming 40-50%, leading to expectations of heightened flower prices in Norway.
- Concerns loom over the upcoming Christmas season, with the industry bracing for both higher prices and decreased transport capacity.
The summary is made by the AI tool ChatGPT and quality assured by E24’s journalists
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The online shopping platform Temu, which has garnered attention for its incredibly low prices and free shipping from China, is leaving a noticeable impact on Norway’s flower industry.
Mester Grønn manager Erling Ølstad and Floriss manager Helje Beisland have articulated their frustrations to E24, highlighting the fierce competition they face—not in terms of direct sales, but primarily in logistics and transport.
– Some of the planes that have flown directly from Africa have been bought up by systems such as Temu, says Beisland.
– Temu has taken all our planes, says Mester Grønn CEO Erling Ølstad.
Heavy price increase
Since launching in 2022, Temu has rapidly gained traction, expanding into European markets last year. Recent studies indicate that approximately 40% of Norwegians have engaged with this platform.
Ølstad notes that the pressure from Temu’s competition has intensified significantly over the past two months.
– Before 1 September, this was not a problem. Then we got our three flights a week. Now we have to work Saturday, Sunday—all the time—to find solutions with the Africans.
If this trend persists, they risk running out of fresh goods, with delivery schedules becoming increasingly unpredictable.
Shipping has become 40-50 per cent more expensive in a short time, with the lack of reliable flight schedules compounding the issue.
Ølstad acknowledges that he cannot blame the airlines for prioritizing lucrative contracts with Temu.
If I were the head of an airline and got paid three times more at Temu, I would probably have done the same.
Read on E24+
Temu: – Uses all the tricks
– We are dreading Christmas
At Floriss, they have not experienced the cost increases as strongly yet; however, the looming holiday season fills the team with trepidation.
Beisland expresses deep concerns regarding the rising prices ahead of this year’s Christmas, noting they are higher than previous years when adjusted for inflation.
Much of the transport route is consumed by Asian online shopping, causing anxiety over its continued impact on flower logistics in Norway.
Mester Grønn’s Ølstad expresses similar fears regarding Christmas sales.
If we shop at Temu, we are killing our own jobs.
– Is there a risk of more expensive flowers because of Temu?
– If this shipping situation continues, it may well happen, yes.
Ølstad stresses that the challenges extend beyond the flower industry, affecting various imports from Africa.
And it hits harder than normal because the Suez Canal is closed.
What country do the majority of cut flowers come from
Xpensive, compounded by growing demand and limited air freight availability. As a result, Norwegian florists are bracing themselves for a difficult holiday season, where the combination of high prices and dwindling transport capacity could leave them struggling to meet consumer needs during peak buying times.
With Christmas approaching, both Beisland and Ølstad are calling attention to the potential long-term impact on their businesses. As customers turn to more affordable options from Temu, the viability of local florists hangs in the balance. The sentiment resonates strongly with Ølstad, who warns, “If you buy from Temu, you’re killing our jobs!” This is a stark reminder that while saving a few kroner might be appealing in the short term, the consequences for the local flower industry could be catastrophic.
A Call for Local Support
The ongoing situation presents an opportunity for all flower lovers and conscious shoppers to reflect on their spending choices. By prioritizing local florists, there’s the chance to not only receive unique, quality products but also support livelihoods that could otherwise be lost to the allure of cheaper imports. This festive season might require a bit of sacrifice in choice and price, but it could significantly contribute to preserving a cherished aspect of Norwegian culture.
As florists scramble to adapt to rising costs and challenges, it will be crucial for consumers to consider the broader implications of their purchase decisions. Supporting local businesses now could mean the difference between vibrant flower shops in the future or a barren landscape where blooms become a rare sight—out of reach and largely forgotten, save for a few online orders from distant suppliers.
