In an online survey just released by GfK, one quarter (25%) of Canadian consumers report that they never garden or do yard work, and another 28% say they do so less than once a month. Only 5% told GfK that they garden “every day or most days.”

These insights come from an online survey of over 23,000 consumers (ages 15 or over) across 17 countries. Globally, nearly one-third (31%) of people garden at home either daily or weekly; and one-quarter (24%) of people internationally say that they never do any gardening or yard work.

Australia has the highest level (45%) of daily or weekly gardening among all countries measured. China came in second (36%), followed by Mexico, the US, and Germany – all of which had levels of over one-third.

In contrast, South Koreans are the least likely to garden, with more than half (53%) of the population indicating they never do yard work. Other countries with high “never-garden” levels include Japan (46%), Spain (44%), Russia (40%), and Argentina (33%).

Canadian women post slightly higher scores for frequent gardening

Among Canadian consumers, gender has a slight influence in how often people garden. About two-tenths of both genders (19% for both women and men) garden or do yard work at least once a month. Women are more likely than men, however, to report daily or weekly gardening (30% for women; 25% for men), while men slightly more likely to say they work in the yard less than once a month or not at all (55% versus 51%).

People who own their main residence are most frequent gardeners

Canadians living in homes they own, or that are owned by their families, are the most frequent gardeners, with 35% saying they do yard work either daily or weekly. In households that rent, just 16% garden on a daily or weekly basis. This percentage drops again, to 11%, among those who live in co-ops or condominiums.  

The frequency of gardening or doing yard work also increases with age. One-third (21%) of Canadians in their twenties say they do yard work either daily or weekly; the proportion rises to 24% for those in their thirties, 29% for those in their forties, and 36% (the highest level of all age groups) among Canadians in their fifties. The 60-plus group is not far behind, at 35%.

By combining these self-reported survey insights with data from areas such as point of sales (POS) tracking for specific categories, consumer panels and geo-marketing, GfK helps clients, manufacturers, and retailers successfully target high-potential audiences both globally and within specific countries.

More data is available in GfK’s complimentary global study reports showing findings for each of the 17 countries, by gender, age, family stage and income.

About this study

GfK asked 23,000 consumers (aged 15 or over) online in 17 countries how often they do gardening or yard work: Every day or most days; At least once a week; At least once a month; Less often; Never.

Fieldwork was completed in summer 2017. Data are weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the online population aged 15+ in each market. The global average given in this release is weighted, based on the size of each country proportional to the other countries.

Countries included are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, UK and USA.

About GfK

GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their passion with GfK’s long-standing data science experience. This allows GfK to deliver vital global insights matched with local market intelligence from more than 100 countries. By using innovative technologies and data sciences, GfK turns big data into smart data, enabling its clients to improve their competitive edge and enrich consumers’ experiences and choices.

For more information, please visit www.gfk.com/us
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