The Christmas tree market - France

The Christmas tree market in France covers the production and sale of Christmas trees nationwide: Christmas trees can be natural or artificial, depending on consumer preference. There are several varieties of natural Christmas tree, such as Epicea and Nordmann (the most popular), as well as Pectin and Spruce. Almost 6.7 million Christmas trees will be bought by households in 2020, to which can be added the purchases of trees by local authorities, municipalities and businesses: the customer pool is therefore global and diversified. Buyers have shown a preference for natural trees over artificial ones, which account for less than 20% of annual sales. Appreciated for its solidity and longevity, the Nordmann fir dominates the market with over 50% of sales (by volume), far ahead of the spruce. The Christmas tree market is logically concentrated over a very short period and is therefore cyclical. A large number of tree growers are concentrated in Burgundy and Morvan. Since sales are ad hoc and fragile, most nurserymen consider the tree a secondary activity. However, production in France is not sufficient to meet demand, and the country's trade balance is in deficit. France satisfies only a fifth of its needs. The French market is made up of growers such as Noël Vert and Sarl Curti, importers such as Du Frou, and nurseries such as Pépinières Naudet and Altitude 500 (in Belgium).