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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Cloves in Germany | 1 CBI Product Factsheet: Roses in the Scandinavian Markets
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Cloves in Germany | 1
CBI Product Factsheet:
Roses in the Scandinavian Markets
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 2
Introduction
Imports of roses in the Scandinavian markets increased in value from € 74 million to € 105 million between 2010 and
2014. For Denmark, Sweden and Finland, the main import partner is the Netherlands. Norway imports directly from
developing countries, mainly Kenya and Ethiopia. This has consequences for the volumes and services needed to enter the
Norwegian market. Imports have grown in all Scandinavian countries and sales are expected to grow further in the
medium-term future. Sales of sustainably and socially responsible produced flowers is growing too, especially in Sweden.
At the same time, supermarkets and especially discount stores are increasing their market shares in the grocery and
convenience market, leading to increased demand for lower priced roses.
Product description
A rose (Rosa) is a woody perennial plant of the genus Rosa, in the Rosaceae family. Standard cut roses vary in size (large
Hybrid Tea, intermediate Hybrid Tea and smaller sweetheart roses) and range in colour from white through yellow, to pink
and red and combinations of different colours. There are numerous varieties, with a huge variety in size, colour, smell and
other attributes. Most commercial cut roses carry one bud per stem; Floribunda or spray roses carry more than one bud
per stem, but are commonly regarded more as garden flowers. Most species are native to Asia, with some native to
Europe, North America, and Africa. Roses are usually harvested and cut when in bud, and stored and transported under
cooled conditions until they are ready for sale at the retail level. Roses are mostly sold as mono bunches or used in
bouquets and other flower arrangements. Some exquisite varieties are sold as single flowers.
This product factsheet covers fresh cut roses. The corresponding CN code is 06031100 - Fresh cut roses and buds, of a
kind suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes.
Source: Shutterstock.
This product factsheet covers some of the major markets in Northern Europe, more specifically Norway, Sweden, Denmark
and Finland (together with Iceland called Scandinavia). These markets are somewhat similar in terms of consumer
preferences and trade channels, but also display large differences which are explained below.
Key product specifications
In general, all cut roses sold in the European market have to comply with specifications as demanded by buyers. In order
to facilitate the buying and marketing process, certain general trade specifications have emerged regarding quality,
grading, packaging and labelling. Most cut roses sold in Scandinavia are supplied via the Netherlands, with Norway being
an exception because this country also imports directly from Kenya and Ethiopia. For exporters from developing countries
with relatively little experience in exporting to Europe, the Dutch flower auction (FloraHolland) is a good marketplace
because there are many buyers present at the auction looking for different products with various specifications.
Furthermore, the flower auction and its direct sales mediation office (Connect) offer marketing and logistics support and
financial settlement that are specifically valuable for unexperienced exporters. A large number of traders targeting the
Scandinavian market are active at the Dutch flower auction. Direct trade with Dutch importer/exporters targeting the
Scandinavian market, or importers and retailers in Scandinavia itself is another option. The more exclusive a contract is
(e.g. selling directly to a specific supermarket in Norway), the more specific the requirements will be and the more
experience you will need to have as an exporter). Failure to meet the product specifications of the specific buyer results in
non-compliance and ultimately in not being paid.
Because of the important role that the Dutch flower auction has in the international trade in flowers in Europe, the product
specifications set by the flower auction can be seen as an industry reference in all sales channels. However, keep in mind
that individual buyers may require different specifications. Always check the specifications with your buyer. There are
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 3
specific requirements regarding quality, size, packing and labelling set by the Dutch Flower Auctions Association (VBN). For
direct exports to Scandinavia, product specifications will be largely the same as for the Dutch market. Exporters should
check for the differences by contacting the importer in Scandinavia.
Quality and grading: Cut roses may be traded at the auction if they meet the VBN requirements. These requirements
consist of two parts: general requirements for all supplied flowers and specific requirements for cut roses. Products which
do not meet the requirements regarding pre-treatment, minimum quality, bacteria content and ripeness are not traded
and are destroyed if necessary (VBN). You are advised to study the requirements carefully through the links included
below, as the requirements listed below are only a small summary of the full requirements.
Cut flowers are traded in 3 quality groups: A1, A2 and B1, depending on the extent to which they meet the
quality and grading criteria. A1 roses must meet all the minimum requirements on internal quality and freshness,
being free of parasites, damage, deficiencies, deviations, contamination, free of leaves in the lower 10 cm part of
the stem, straight and sturdy enough to bear the flower, uniform in colour, thickness, sturdiness and bouquet
volume, and properly packed. Any deviations from these requirements may result in downgrading from A1 to A2,
or B1. Cut flowers that do not at least meet the criteria for B1 are not traded.
The batch must be free of growth defects, including: flat buds; grass hearts; crooked necks.
Roses are graded according to:
o length: all Rosa must be bunched so that the stems in the bunch are even at the bottom. There is no
tolerance in length difference at the bottom of the bunch;
o ripeness;
o number of bloomable buds;
o height of flower bud, at which:
grading is done in classes of 1cm;
the grade can be mentioned in the grade code by using characteristics code S19;
the smallest height in the batch determines the code to be indicated.
o number of stems per bunch.
At the Dutch flower auction, growers are responsible, through self-assessment, for grading and the reliability of the
information they provide with their lot. However, the auction assesses customer reclamations to check the reliability of the
suppliers. A reclamation can be, for example, the result of incorrect product information on the consignment note or labels.
The Quality Index (QI) is based on the number of customer complaints or reclamations in the last 8 weeks. Information on
your QI is shared with customers and reported back to you, including the number and content of product reclamations. In
general a grower’s good reputation, based on constant quality, is often rewarded by a higher average price per stem.
Packaging: Imported roses are often traded in cardboard boxes. The quantity of roses traded in these boxes is increasing
to reduce costs. Roses are often shipped without plastic sleeves since, these can become humid. After arrival, the roses
are often unpacked and repacked at the auction or by specialised importers. They are usually put into plastic flower
containers (buckets) and supplied to the auction in the Netherlands or redistributed to an exporting wholesaler. The Dutch
flower auction recently started a test auctioning roses without unpacking them from the cardboard boxes, which increases
the efficiency of the logistics process.
If roses (separate requirements exist for Rosa floribunda) are supplied to the auction, they must be:
Supplied in bunches of 10 or 20 stems;
With the exception of Freiland roses, each barrel unit is to be packed in foil as a minimum;
Be bunched so that the flower buds are all at the same level or in two layers. When bunching with two layers, the
separate layers may not touch each other;
Roses must be supplied in clean water (containing the prescribed pre-treatment agents).
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 4
Source: FlowerWatch.
Labelling: When exporting to Europe through the Dutch flower auction, every stacking cart must be accompanied by a
fully and correctly completed consignment note containing all required information about the stacking cart. Look in the
VBN general product specifications for Cut flowers for the list of required information. In addition, every packaging unit
needs to be labelled with product and supplier information, namely:
Supplier number;
Variety name;
Amount (e.g. stems) per packaging unit (e.g. bucket, etc);
The grading marks (Class A1, A2, B1);
Supplier name.
Additional product labelling will generally take place at the auction/wholesaler or bouquet producer. Additional labelling is
often required for direct trade. The barcode and/or QR-code, article code, selling price and other details imposed by the
supermarkets should already be printed on labels.
Tracking/tracing information;
GLOBALG.A.P., MPS, FFP or other certification label;
Pre-labelled with price information (see picture).
Source: Global Flower Trading.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 5
What is the demand for roses on the Scandinavian market?
The total European market for cut flowers was estimated at around € 20 billion in 2014 (calculation LEI based on
Rabobank, 2015, and Eurostat population statistics). In Denmark, average consumption of cut flowers was about € 48 per
inhabitant in 2013, and € 42 per inhabitant in Sweden (see Figure 1 below). That places consumers in these Scandinavian
countries just below the top buying consumers in Europe. In Finland, in 2012, average consumption expenditures on cut
flowers and funeral wreaths was € 62 per household, or about € 30 per capita (source: Statistics Finland). Consumption of
cut flowers in Finland is somewhat lower than in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. These data are not completely
comparable with the data in Figure 1. Figures on consumption of cut flowers for Norway are lacking. In general, Norwegian
consumers spend a relatively high amount on flowers, plants and related products, but a large part of these expenditures
are made on garden plants and gardening equipment. The general price level in Norway is also quite high, making the cost
of marketing for flowers (e.g. wages, rental costs and transportation costs of florists) higher than in most other European
countries.
Roses are the number one cut flower on the European market, and this holds true for Scandinavia as well. Based on import
statistics and estimations of trade margins, per capita consumption of cut flowers in Finland is much lower than in Sweden,
while per capita consumption in Norway is comparable to Denmark. By population size, Sweden is the largest country of
the four with almost 10 million inhabitants. The other three countries have between 5 and 6 million inhabitants each.
In Norway, the share of cut roses in imports is over 60%, while in Denmark it is less than 30% and in Sweden and Finland
about 40%. This indicates the relative importance of cut roses on the Norwegian market. Consumption of cut flowers is
expected to grow further in Scandinavia.
Figure 1: Consumption of cut flowers for Denmark and Sweden and a selection of other countries, in euro per capita, in 2013
Source: FloraHolland Consumentenpanel 2014, in Rabobank, World Floriculture Map, 2015; Productschap Tuinbouw, data from
BureauSierteelt.nl, 2015. for Sweden.
Roses are sold as mono-bunches, in bouquets or as single stems and are often bought as a present. The most important
colours are red, white, pink, yellow or bi-coloured. Peak days play an important role on the European market for cut roses.
There are a number of days that generally apply to the entire European market such as Saint Valentine’s Day, Mother’s
Day and Easter. But many countries have additional special days on which flowers play an important role. For example
students in Finland and Sweden receive roses after graduating.
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Tips:
Visit the VBN website regularly to find out about changes in product specifications.
Contact your import agent or your potential client about any additional requirements if you wish to supply directly
to the European import market without using the auction clock system.
If you supply via the Dutch flower auction, regularly check your Quality Index to find out which complaints buyers
have and fix them. If you do not supply via the flower auction, find out about your buyers’ satisfaction by
contacting them on a regular basis and fix any complaints right away.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 6
In terms of sales channels, the Scandinavian markets differ. In Denmark, florists are the dominant sales channel, but
supermarkets are increasing their market share. In Sweden, gardening centres are also a major retail outlet for cut flowers. Many garden centres in Sweden have a separate well-equipped flower corner that can compete in terms of service
with flowers shops, and prices are very competitive. In Denmark and Sweden, the market share of supermarkets has increased to about 28% and 21% in 2013, respectively. Finnish and the Norwegian consumers bought about 10% of their
flowers and plants in super- and hypermarkets in 2010 (PT Retail Tour Scandinavia, 2010), but recent data is lacking and
the share of supermarkets is expected to be higher today. Nevertheless, supermarkets are less oriented towards selling flowers in Norway and Finland than they are in Denmark and Sweden. In Norway, at the moment, most supermarkets do
not regularly sell cut flowers yet.
Figure 2: Market share of sales channels for cut flowers in Denmark and Sweden in %
Source: FloraHolland / raming Bureausierteelt.nl.
The imports of cut roses in Scandinavia increased between 2010 and 2014 from € 74 million to € 105 million. Most imports
come from within the EU-28. About 40% of all imports in Scandinavia come from developing countries. This is almost
entirely due to imports in Norway. The other countries – Denmark, Finland and Sweden – import almost all flowers via the
Netherlands. Direct imports to Norway are interesting for developing country suppliers since they can benefit from a
preferential import tariff. Note that Norway is not a part of the European Union (EU) or the European Customs Union.
Therefore, different import tariffs and regulations apply.
Norway is the largest Scandinavian importer of cut flowers with almost € 50 million in 2014. Sweden and Denmark
imported € 27 and € 20 million of cut flowers each, while Finland imported € 12 million. The Norwegian market is seeing
particularly strong growth, with a 50% increase in value since 2010. Some of the main buyers of imported cut roses in
Norway are Mester Grønn (about 110 flower shops in Norway), BAMA Blomster and Interflora Norge (about 365 affiliated
flower shops), and large retailers like Norgesgruppen (with supermarket outlets Kiwi, Meny, Ultra, Centra, Jacobs, SPAR
and Joker), Coop Norge (Coop, ICA, Rimi), and Reitangruppen (REMA 1000).
Sweden and Finland have also seen strong growth in import value, amounting to some 45% between 2010 and 2014.
Denmark is also growing, with a 21% increase in euro value. This growth is expected to continue at a somewhat lower rate
in the short- to medium-term future.
For Denmark, Finland and Sweden, the main import partner is the Netherlands. The share of Dutch import ranges from
90% to 98% for Finland, Sweden and Denmark. On the other hand, Norway is reporting more direct trade. Kenya is the
dominant import partner for Norway and represents a share of about 72% of rose imports in 2015. Ethiopia is the other
0%
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Denmark2012
Denmark2013
Denmark2018f
Sweden2012
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Sweden2018f
Other
Internet
Grower
Builder’s merchant
Gardening centre
Street market
Supermarket
Florist and kiosk
Tips:
Find out what colours your clients prefer and what new trends are expected by talking with your
potential buyers.
If you focus on peak days make sure that you are aware of these days and integrate this in your
production planning. The following link provides information about holidays worldwide.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 7
large rose supplier to Norway, representing 22% in 2015. Roses exported by the Netherlands only represent 4% of total
rose import in Norway.
Figure 3: Import of cut roses in Scandinavia, per region of origin, 2010-2014, in €1,000
Source: ITC Trademap, calculations LEI.
Figure 4: Import of cut roses in Scandinavia, per importing country, 2010-2014, in €1,000
Source: ITC Trademap, calculations LEI.
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Rest of the world
EU countries
Developing countries
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 8
Figure 5: Division of import value of cut roses in Norway, in 2015, in %
Source: ITC Trademap, calculations LEI.
Figure 6: Division of import value of cut roses in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, in 2014, in %
Source: ITC Trademap, calculations LEI.
Kenya72%
Ethiopia22%
Netherlands4%
Tanzania1%
Other1%
Netherlands97%
Other countries3%
Tips:
The Netherlands is an important trade hub for cut roses and is the major supplier of flowers to
Denmark, Sweden and Finland. If you want to supply the Scandinavian market (except Norway)
consider trading via the Dutch wholesale industry. They have experience in supplying these markets.
Direct trade is feasible for the Norwegian flower market.
Value added products (long stems, large buds), special varieties (colours), market niches and
sustainable partnerships with buyers offer opportunities to compete.
Visit the website of the Norwegian customs for more information on specific tariffs.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 9
What trends offer opportunities on the Scandinavian market for cut roses?
CBI Trendmapping provides you with general trends in the European market for cut flowers. This section provides more
details about specific trends in the market for cut roses in Scandinavia.
Discount stores are growing in Scandinavia
In all of the Scandinavian countries, discount stores are gaining market share in the groceries and convenience market.
Sales of discount stores (like REMA 1000 in Norway and Denmark, Willys (Axfood) in Sweden, and Lidl and Aldi) have
increased, while sales of supermarkets and convenience stores have been decreasing somewhat since 2013.
Supermarkets in general (including discount) stores are increasing their market shares in the sales of cut flowers.
Focus on sustainability
Scandinavian consumers are increasingly focused on sustainability issues, such as products that are manufactured in a
socially responsible manner. This is true for environmental issues as well as social issues. Although the market share of
sustainably produced and certified flowers is still limited, demand is increasing. MPS A/B/C or GlobalGAP certification (or
the equivalent) is becoming a common buyer requirement, especially for large retailers. In Sweden, FFP flowers are
gaining ground. Many Swedish flower shops and wholesalers are registered as FFP participants. Sweden, Finland and
Norway are growing markets for Fairtrade flowers.
Top quality and vase life guarantee
Consumers in Scandinavia, like consumers throughout Europe, expect excellent quality flowers. The flowers should be
fresh and not yet fully open when sold to consumers. They expect not only freshness at the moment of purchase, but also
a long vase life. This holds true for premium flowers sold at flower shops as well as for lower priced bouquets sold at
supermarkets. Top-quality flowers in fashionable colours receive higher prices than average-quality flowers. Trends in cut
flowers follow trends in home decoration and interior design. For cut roses, the main colours red, pink, yellow and white
are always in demand, but trends do change and specialties may attract higher prices when they are tuned to current
fashion.
What requirements should cut roses comply with to be allowed on the Scandinavian
market?
What legal and non-legal requirements must my product comply with?
Plant health
Roses exported to Scandinavia, including Norway, which is not a member of the EU, must comply with the legislation on
plant health. The EU has laid down phytosanitary requirements to prevent introduction and spread of organisms harmful to
plants and plant products in the EU.
Tip:
Discount stores are a growing market segment which generally offers low-priced mono-bunches and bouquets.
Discount stores and large retailers in general are demanding customers. Before exporting directly to these
customers or their flower suppliers, make sure you are fully capable of meeting their demands.
Tip:
Find more information about sustainable flowers and certification schemes on the ITC Standards Map.
Tips:
Excellent quality and a long vase life is essential in order to supply the Scandinavian market successfully.
Learn what are current and expected trends in colours and varieties by talking to buyers, breeders and visiting
trade fairs. The Nordic Flower Expo is a trade fair dedicated to flowers and plants in Scandinavia and the Baltics.
There might be additional requirements, particularly in the supermarket sector. Therefore contact the wholesaler
or supermarket to verify the requirements that you need to fulfil in order to supply. The requirements often differ
per supermarket.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 10
Roses imported in the EU must be accompanied by an official “phytosanitary certificate” guaranteeing the phytosanitary
conditions of plants and plants products, and also that the shipment has been officially inspected, complies with statutory requirements for entry into the EU and is free of quarantine pests and other harmful pathogens. Phytosanitary certificates
are issued by your National Plant Protection Office (NPPO).
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
Developing new varieties of roses is often very expensive. The developers of new varieties are often European companies
and they want their return on their investments. To avoid that just anybody can use these new varieties, they are
protected by intellectual property rights. In recent years, there has been a growing attention for these breeders’ rights and
illegal products are rejected from the market.
Full overview of requirements for cut flowers:
For a list of requirements for cut flowers consult the EU Export Helpdesk where you can select your specific product under
chapter 0603.
What additional requirements do buyers often have?
CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility
Scandinavian consumers pay more and more attention to social and environmental issues during flower production and
distribution. As a result buyers require you to meet certain environmental and social standards in the form of certification
schemes and consumer labels. Compliance with environmental standards (focusing on pesticide and water use) is a very
common requirement, while social conditions are gaining importance.
The most important B2B schemes for roses in Scandinavia are MPS, GLOBALG.A.P., Fairtrade and FFP (depending on the
country and market channel). The MPS organisation offers several standards: MPS-ABC certification covers environmental
performances and is considered a must for growers. Furthermore they have several other schemes such as MPS-SQ
(focusing on social issues), MPS-GAP (on Good Agricultural Practices) and MPS-Quality. The most comprehensive scheme
is MPS-Florimark, which is a combination of the aforementioned four schemes.
Tips:
Check with the relevant National Plant Protection Organisation for the exact procedures to get the phytosanitary
certificate.
A model phytosanitary certificate can be found in AnnexVII of the Plant Health Directive.
Check if your country and the country you want to export to have implemented digital services to facilitate the
process of import and export. For example in Holland there is the CLIENT export system, which is also used by
the Kenyan and Ugandan inspection authorities.
Read more about plant health in the EU Export Helpdesk.
Tips:
Make sure that you know exactly who owns the IPR for your species and pay necessary royalties.
An interesting trend is that breeders’ only let their new variety be grown by a select group of growers. Staying in
contact with breeders and offering perfect conditions to grow their new variety may therefore be an advantage
Familiarise yourself with the protection frameworks for new plant varieties, for example from the Union for the
Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV) or the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO).
Tips:
Both buyers and consumers in Scandinavia consider environmentally friendly production important and this
importance is expected to increase in the future. Becoming certified is essential.
Use your good practices and certification as a marketing tool in the communication with (potential) buyers.
Tips:
Consult Channels and Segments to see how market channels are changing.
MPS gives an overview of all MPS schemes including links to the criteria per scheme.
Compare requirements of different certification schemes in the ITC Standards Map.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 11
GLOBALG.A.P.
GLOBALG.A.P. is a B2B scheme originally focusing on Good Agricultural Practices. GLOBALG.A.P. has been the most
important scheme for fruit and vegetables for years, but it is gaining importance for roses as well, especially with regard to
sales to supermarkets. Several other standards are benchmarked against GLOBALG.A.P.
Private labels
The increasing share of the ‘unspecialised’ market (supermarkets etc) in comparison with the ’specialised’ market has also
had its effects on the buyers’ requirements. Several supermarket chains offer roses under their own private labels often
referring to social and environmental conditions at the production level.
Cold chain management
Proper cold chain management has a positive effect on the quality and vase life of flowers. Therefore, buyers’ demands for
cold chain protocols are increasing. Note that, although improving your cold chain management may be a challenge, the
higher product quality should also improve your profits.
What are the requirements for niche markets?
Fairtrade certification
Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirements are common buyer requirements, standards that are
communicated through a consumer label still represent a relatively small part of the market. Examples of relevant
consumer labels are: Fair Flowers Fair Plants (FFP) and Fairtrade International. The market share of Fairtrade roses has
increased considerably in the last several years, particularly in the supermarket segment.
Organic
The market for organic roses is very small. Organic roses must by produced and processed by natural methods defined
in EU legislation. Some flower traders perceive organic roses as a lesser quality product due to a lower aesthetic quality
and durability. As such, organic roses are not much favoured in Europe yet.
Tips:
GLOBALG.A.P. gives an overview of all the standards for flowers and ornamentals.
Check for existing initiatives in your country. Examples are the Colombian Florverde standards or the code of the
Kenyan Flower Council. Sometimes these local initiatives are benchmarked against GLOBALG.A.P.
Tip:
If you want to target supermarkets directly, check which sustainability criteria they impose.
Tips:
Developing and implementing cold chain protocols will be vital to survival in the coming years.
Do not wait until buyers ask for improved cold chain management, but anticipate on the developments.
Tips:
Always check with your buyer if he requires certification and which certification he prefers.
Consult the Standards Map database for the different labels and standards relevant for cut flowers.
Tip:
Growing organic roses can be an opportunity for future times
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 12
What competition do I face on the Scandinavian cut roses market?
Scandinavia has only limited production of cut flowers. Most flowers are imported. Norway imports cut roses mainly
directly from Africa and South-America whereas Denmark, Sweden and Finland are almost exclusively supplied through the
Netherlands. Roses from the Netherlands and the rest of the European Union are only allowed in the Norwegian market
from 1 November to 31 March. In the other months an import tariff of 150% applies. Competition changes during the
season and from year to year as production and demand differ. The European winter months are generally less
competitive, as supply from Europe is limited. Competition is fierce as everywhere on the European market. This is
particularly true for Norway, where demanding importers and retail customers are used to deal directly with suppliers from
developing countries. Only very well organised and professional suppliers can meet the standards set by large retail
buyers. The number of supermarket buying organisations is limited and as a result they have high buyer power against
producers and wholesale traders. On the whole, competition in the Scandinavian market for cut roses does not differ from
competition for most other major types of cut flowers on the European market. More information about competition on the
European cut flower market can be found in the general information on Competition for Cut flowers and foliage.
What do the trade channels and interesting market segments look like in Scandinavia
for cut roses?
The trade channels and market segments of cut roses in Scandinavia do not differ from those of most other countries in
Europe. The main difference between Norway and the other countries is that Norway mainly imports directly from
developing countries, whereas the other Scandinavian countries are supplied mainly from the Netherlands. Florists are the
main outlet for flowers in all Scandinavian countries. Supermarkets have a somewhat higher market share in Sweden and
Denmark (21% and 28% in 2013) than in Norway and Finland (about 10% in 2010). In Sweden, gardening centres are
also a major retail outlet for cut flowers. More information about trade channels and market segments can be found in the
general information on Trade channels and market segments for Cut flowers and foliage.
What are the end market prices for cut roses?
Roses are sold as mono-bunches, in bouquets and as single stems. Consumer prices differ depending on the market
segment and country. In general, prices are higher for longer stems and larger buds. Prices also vary during the season
and increase during peak days, such as before Valentine’s Day. In Sweden and Denmark, prices for 15 medium red roses
at the florist are around € 40 to € 50. Prices are somewhat lower in Norway, between € 20 and € 50. Long-stemmed roses
may be much more expensive. Prices are generally lower at supermarkets. The figure below gives an estimation of the
price breakdown. Shipping cut flowers to the European market costs about 20-40% of the export value (FOB) for
transportation costs, insurance, tax and documentation, depending on the distance and certain country- or airport-specific
costs.
Figure 6: Price breakdown
Useful sources
Export and market entry support:
CBI - http://www.cbi.eu/
Export price (FOB) Shipping Import / Wholesale Retail
+ 20% + 15% + 20% + 45%
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Roses in the Scandinavian Markets | 13
CBI Market Information - https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/
EFSA - http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/
EU Export Helpdesk - http://exporthelp.europa.eu/thdapp/index_en.html
Market access support organisation in Finland Finnpartnership - http://www.finnpartnership.fi/
Norwegian Customs and import tariff information - http://www.toll.no/en/
Certification schemes:
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association - http://www.ehpea.org/
Fair Flowers Fair Plants - http://www.fairflowersfairplants.com/home-en.aspx
Fairtrade - http://www.fairtrade.net/
Florverde ® Sustainable Flowers - http://florverde.org/
GLOBALG.A.P. - http://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/
ITC Standards Map - http://www.standardsmap.org/
Kenya Flower Council - http://kenyaflowercouncil.org/
MPS - http://www.my-mps.com/en/
Rainforest Alliance - http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/
Marketing and trade standards:
EU legislation on Organic Production - http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/eu-policy/legislation_en
UNECE Standards for Cut flowers - http://www.unece.org/trade/agr/standard/flowers/flower_e.html
VBN Dutch Flower Auctions Association - http://www.vbn.nl/
VBN Product Specifications - http://www.vbn.nl/en-US/Productinfo/Pages/Productinformations.aspx
Statistics and sector information:
AIPH - http://www.aiph.org/
Eurostat -http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database
ITC Trade Map - http://www.trademap.org/
UN Comtrade - http://comtrade.un.org/
Trade fairs:
Nordic Flower Expo - http://www.nordicflowerexpo.com/
CBI Market Intelligence
P.O. Box 93144
2509 AC The Hague
The Netherlands
www.cbi.eu/market-information
This survey was compiled for CBI by LEI Wageningen UR
in collaboration with CBI sector expert Milco Rikken
Disclaimer CBI market information tools: http://www.cbi.eu/disclaimer
August 2016
