There’s great news for our industry from the NCTA: tree sales are up, significantly, for the first time in years. The data shows that since the CTPB was created in 2015, a modest increase occurred in 2016 and held steady in 2017. And in 2018, the season we’ve all been working for, a major increase took place. You can download a PDF of the 2018 survey report here and a PDF of the American Christmas Tree Journal Article here. The main numbers showing this trend are listed below:
| YEAR | Reported Tree Sales* | % Change (vs. 2015) |
| 2015 | 25.9 Million | 0% |
| 2016 | 27.4 Million | +6% |
| 2017 | 27.4 Million | +6% |
| 2018 | 32.9 Million | +27% |
*All reported tree sales figures are from the annual NCTA Consumer Survey.
This result is the culmination of many factors, including the orchestrated efforts of the CTPB over the past three years. National News outlets picked up on the battle between real and fake trees in 2018, and many outlets covered Real Trees as the desirable choice. Watch CBS This Morning’s coverage below:
• Real Trees align with many of the trends the younger generations of American families support:
– Authentic Experiences
– Supporting local business / economy
– Environmentally Conscious
• Many areas of concern are addressable through further marketing and research:
– Alignment with shifting generational trends
– Building loyal base of consumers for years to come
– Education/Awareness of the economic implications of real and fake trees
– Education/Awareness of the environmental implications of real and fake trees
– Addressing perceived challenges of real trees (shortages, pests, needle loss, etc.)