The number of flower shops in the Netherlands has fallen significantly over the past six years. According to the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK), the total dropped from nearly 4,400 in 2019 to 3,880 at the beginning of this year.
Despite the decline, Valentine’s Day remains a vital sales period for florists. However, this year, florists saw an 8 percent drop in sales compared to 2024.
The decline in flower shops is widespread across the country. The province of Flevoland saw the largest decrease, with flower shops dropping by 20 percent, from 70 in 2019 to 56 this year. Zeeland, on the other hand, is the only province where the number of florists briefly increased, though it too has seen a recent decline.
Marco Maasse, director of the Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers (VBW), explains that the reduction in flower shops is mainly due to owners retiring. “Running a flower shop is challenging,” Maasse said. “While some enthusiastic employees take over, more often the business is bought by another florist.”
The decline of local flower shops has led to changes in the business strategies of online flower delivery services. Edwin van Arkel, director of Topbloemen.nl, shared that his company now handles more than half of its deliveries through its own locations. “We could no longer ensure nationwide coverage with local florists who met our quality standards,” van Arkel explained.
He also pointed out that florists are grappling with rising costs and higher wages, which they struggle to pass on to customers.
This year’s 8 percent drop in Valentine’s Day sales was also attributed to the holiday falling on a Friday. “Couples often meet in person on weekends, so there is less need to send flowers,” van Arkel noted.
At Topbloemen.nl, high-end red roses are being sold for 4.50 euros per stem, one euro more than usual, due to strong demand and limited supply.
Meanwhile, Fleurop, another major flower delivery service, is experiencing an increase in orders. “We’re incredibly busy right now,” said Christian Quint, who manages the product offerings on Fleurop’s website. He observed that demand has risen compared to last year.
