Temse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Temse garden centres sell 10% fewer real trees as artificial trees gain popularity. Chris Van Wesemael and Johan Van Bunder cite convenience, realism, and narrow designs driving the shift.
As VRT News reported, several garden centres in Temse, East Flanders, Belgium, are selling fewer real Christmas trees this holiday season. At the same time, artificial trees are gaining popularity among shoppers. Johan Van Bunder of Tuincenter Van Buynder in Temse said his store sells about 10% fewer real trees every year.
“People want to put up their trees earlier and earlier,”
says Van Buynder.
“Often, the tree is decorated as early as November. But if you buy a real tree, then it won’t look as good by Christmas. A real Christmas tree only really lasts three to four weeks.”
“It also has to do with convenience,”
Van Buynder thinks.
“Getting a real tree inside can be quite a hassle. An artificial Christmas tree, on the other hand, you can simply store in the basement or attic.”
What is driving the shift from real to artificial Christmas trees in Belgium
Artificial Christmas trees are gaining popularity across Belgium, not just in East Flanders, according to Chris Van Wesemael, director of the Belgian Garden Centre Association. He said convenience is a major reason for the trend, as artificial trees need little care and can be used year after year. Van Wesemael added that the design and look of artificial trees have improved.
“You used to be able to spot a fake Christmas tree from a mile away,”
says Van Wesemael.
“But now you sometimes can’t tell the difference. That’s undoubtedly what’s convincing people to switch to an artificial Christmas tree.”
Other factors are also driving the shift to artificial trees. Many families like that they do not drop needles, need no watering, and make less mess. Higher prices for real Christmas trees and concerns about sustainability are also influencing buyers. Garden centres across Belgium are increasing their range of high-quality artificial trees. At the same time, they continue to sell real trees for customers.
“Our customers prefer not to have a tree that’s too wide anymore. That used to be the norm. Back then, everyone wanted a wide tree. But now people sometimes cut pieces off the tree to make it narrower and less bombastic.”
“Narrower models are also more popular among artificial Christmas trees,”
says Van Buynder.
“A narrow tree takes up less space. That can be more convenient, especially for apartment dwellers.”
Belgian consumers have increasingly chosen to purchase artificial Christmas trees over the past few years due to declining sales of real Christmas trees (estimated to be down approximately 5%-10% per year from 2015 onwards), and continuing trends in increasing sales of artificial Christmas trees. While both real and artificial trees are facing rising costs, the costs associated with real trees have risen significantly over the last few years due to increases in the cost of production and transportation in 2022-2024.
