Minted Brits living the good life

• British adults spend nearly £1.64 billion on growing their own produce each year
• 40 per cent of Brits, 10.9 million households, grow their own produce with herbs and fruit being slightly more popular than vegetables (28 per cent respectively vs 24 per cent)
• Despite the investment required to set up a home garden, over half (54 per cent) of people believe growing your own produce could save you money, with an estimated saving of £287 per year
• However, nearly three million Brits (5 per cent) think that it’s more expensive to grow food at home – but do it anyway
   

New research¹ from Direct Line’s SELECT Premier Insurance reveals the popularity of living ‘The Good Life’ across the UK, with 10.9 million (40 per cent) people growing their own produce, including herbs, fruit and vegetables.

The most popular home-grown herb in the UK is mint, with over five million (18 per cent) British households cultivating these plants. This is followed by rosemary (16 per cent) and parsley (12 per cent).

Herbs are followed by fruits for green-fingered Brits, with apples (17 per cent) topping the popularity table, followed by pears and plums (both eight per cent). Vegetables, despite being ranked third overall, are still a popular choice for many with one in eight (12 per cent) growing tomatoes, 11 per cent growing their own potatoes and 10 per cent growing beans.

In terms of more exotic produce, approximately 390,000 (four per cent of those who grow their own) grow marjoram, 260,000 say they grow lemon balm (two per cent) and nearly 300,000 grow the ‘superfood’ kale.

Nearly 14.7 million households (54 per cent) believe that gardening at home could save you money and nearly two fifths (38 per cent) of those who currently grow their own food gave this as a main influencing factor. Indeed, those who choose to eat from their own gardens save on average £267.72 per year. However, the main reason for home growing is because people believe it tastes better (57 per cent) and because they enjoy the gardening experience (54 per cent).

One in eight (13 per cent) of home gardeners grow their own food because they are concerned about pesticides and additives, and an additional 12 per cent do it for environmental reasons. Over one million (6 per cent) identify as ‘anti-big business’ and aim to be as self-sufficient as possible. It seems popular gardening shows and social media may also contribute, as nine per cent of households say they garden because others inspire them to do so.

Table One:  Top reasons for growing own produce

Source: Direct Line SELECT Premier Insurance

Whilst UK nationals who grow their own food can make savings, there’s an investment required to start and nurture a home garden. Brits spend nearly £1.64 billion each year on their ‘good life’, and the average investment in gardening is £79, with men spending 42 per cent more than women (£95 vs £67) and young people spending 39 per cent more than those aged over 55.

Londoners invest the most in their allotments and gardens, with a total spend of over £360 million and an individual gardening bill adding up to an average of £162. Those in the South East are the second largest spenders with a total spend of over £310 million, equating to each gardener spending on average £88 per year.

Table Two:  Regional Breakdown of Garden Investment

Source: Direct Line SELECT Premier Insurance 2018

*Figures indicative due to low base
 

Huw Richards, Gardening Influencer and founder of HuwsNursey, said: “Growing your own produce can be a healthy and enjoyable way of providing diverse nutrition for yourself and your family. Despite the temperamental UK weather, people across the UK have many options for what fruit, vegetables and herbs they can grow at home.  The internet can be a great resource for recipes and inspiration.

“I’m very proud that the Welsh are showing a keen interest for gardening investment and that young people are on average spending more than over-55’s. Gardening is often perceived as a retirement hobby, rather than the skill it really is. I work hard each day to inspire all generations and educate them the best way to successfully grow organic produce. I am passionate about teaching everyone how to increase productivity, learn diverse ways of gardening and ultimately reduce the cost of gardening to increase our gardener numbers and encourage people to live a healthy and sustainable diet.”    

However, it’s not all coming up roses for Britain’s gardeners as more than 786,000 households have experienced an issue whilst gardening, with vandalism and theft being the biggest issues reported.
 

Nick Brabham, head of SELECT Premier Insurance, says: “It’s interesting to see so many Brits exploring the possibility of growing their own produce but considering the potential time and money invested, it’s important to take some precautions against theft and vandalism. If possible, people should keep their garden well-lit and close any surrounding fencing when not working with their produce.”
 

For more information on this please visit: https://www.directline.com/select-premier

ENDS
 

Notes to editor

¹ Research carried out by Opinium amongst a nationally representative sample of 2,007 UK adults, of which 803 (40%) grew their own herbs, vegetables and fruit, between 27 February and 1 March 2018. All figures extrapolated based on the number of households in the UK (27,200,000).
 

For further information please contact:

Lucy Davies

Direct Line

lucy.davies@directlinegroup.co.uk

07759 635919

Nick Andrews

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

nick.andrews@citigatedewerogerson.com

020 7282 1050
 

About SELECT Premier Insurance

Direct Line offers SELECT Premier Insurance to cover homes, cars and valuables of high worth, as well as breakdown cover, pet and travel insurance, all covered under just one policy. When taking out SELECT Premier Insurance, Direct Line will even pay your cancellation charges from your previous policy, making it even easier and affordable to have all your policies under one roof, with one payment plan and one renewal date.

At SELECT Premier Insurance we help you stay in control by offering you a truly personal service. To begin with, one of our accredited insurance advisors will carry out a complimentary individual telephone review with you. Then they’ll give you tailored advice, based on your unique needs, for example, specialist cover for valuables such as fine art and jewellery (without needing to list individual items worth less than £10,000) or for your property portfolio, to ensure you get exactly the right level of cover.

To find out more about what Direct Line SELECT Premier can offer, go to www.directline.com/select or go straight through to an expert, not a machine, on 0800 206 2849
 

Direct Line

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