Morrisons to hire 180 new florists as flower sales soar during pandemic

Google data has shown that flowers have been one of the country’s most popular online purchases during lockdown, with online searches up 277 per cent.

Bradford-based Morrisons said it is currently selling over four million flower stems every week and the new florists will help it provide fresh, bespoke bouquets for customers.

The supermarket chain is also expanding its instore florist shops, which will see a further 60 florist stations installed across the UK - to take the total to over 100.

The new florist shops will provide 180 additional roles for qualified professional florists, who may be out of work following the impact that the pandemic has had on the high street.

All Morrisons florists will offer a handmade-to-order bouquet service, with customers able to choose from 75 different stem varieties. Bouquets can be crafted for any occasion and to any budget. They will be prepared whilst customers do their weekly shop.

Morrisons offers a five day freshness guarantee for all of its flowers in the home. The grocer said it works closely with growers to plant their fields and has one of the quickest ‘field to store’ transit times.

Stems are delivered fresh to stores every day, sourced from FlowerWorld, a 17.5 acre flower site wholly owned by the supermarket.

Morrisons said its bouquets are up to a third cheaper than those from well-known national online florists as it has direct relationships with growers rather than working with wholesalers.

Jane Watson, flowers manager at Morrisons said: “Flowers make people feel happier - with their beautiful shapes, bright colours and scents.

"We work with some of the best growers in the world and have some of the best stems. So we wanted to have the best florists in store to make bouquets for our customers.

"It’s been a difficult year for the flower industry, and we hope this also provides good job prospects for florists looking for work.”