Cost of Christmas trees up by 20%: how to find best option in France
The increasing cost is due to rising packaging and transport costs. However, some shops are offering discounts
Even festive trees have not escaped the rising cost of living, with increased packaging and transport costs causing prices to spike by up to 20%
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Even Christmas trees have not escaped rising costs this year, as producers warn that prices for the traditional sapins de Noël are set to be up to 20% higher in 2022 than in 2021.
The rising costs are largely due to rises in packaging and transportation costs.
Frédéric Naudat, president of the Association française du sapin de Noël naturel, told BFMTV: “All of our products, in terms of packaging and transport, have risen significantly.
“Wooden packaging has risen by 30-50% over the course of a year, so this has significant repercussions on Christmas trees, which are bulky.”
Some professionals are suggesting price rises of 5-10%, but in Morvan, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, one of the busiest Christmas-tree-producing areas, prices could increase by as much as 15-20%.
Read also: Gardening in France: French history and care of Christmas trees
Money-saving tips
However, there are some ways to save money on trees, including being savvy about where you buy.
Some shops, such as Jardiland and IKEA, are offering vouchers of €15-25 towards the purchase of a natural tree. Some supermarkets are also offering generous discounts on Christmas trees.
Another option is to ‘shop around’ for the lowest-price trees, and try several sellers before selecting your final sapin.
TheAssociation française du sapin de Noël naturel even has a page on its website with a map of every French producer registered with the association, to help the public find their closest seller, and the lowest prices of natural trees available.
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