Flowering Profits: Unveiling the Real Earnings of Florists on Mother's Day
Floral arrangements or bouquets are the primary output of florists' work. They also create wreaths, centerpieces, and other floral designs, sometimes customized according to occasions like weddings, funerals, or holidays. Thus, their craft encompasses assembling and organizing a variety of flowers, leaves, and other botanical elements into visually appealing and meaningful compositions. - What exactly is the revenue source for florists?
Written by Daniel Bakir
- Approx. Reading Time: 1 Min
Ready to splurge on a Mother's Day bouquet? But did you ever stop to consider the florists and their team behind the scenes, who need to make a living too? While holidays like Valentine's Day and—naturally—Mother's Day are the flower industry's high-season, florists don't exactly rake in the big bucks.
If you've ever wondered about the cost of that medium-sized bouquet, consider that florists' salaries are far from extravagant, despite the three-year vocational training and the "skilled occupation" label.
Modest Gains on Mother's Day: It's a Florist's Life
On average, a florist's monthly take-home pay is around 2,220 euros, according to the Federal Employment Agency's Wage Atlas[1]. Sadly, one out of four florists earn less than 1,902 euros, while another quarter earns more than 2,495 euros. This data is based on around 10,700 salary figures for this profession. Floristry is, as it turns out, one of the lowest-paying trained professions[1].
As a silver lining, the trade union IG Bau and the Association of German Florists (FDF) agreed on a two-stage wage increase last year. Starting July 2024, the agreed-upon wages will swell by 2.5 to 6 percent[1], followed by another 2.5 to 4.75 percent increase on July 2025. The hourly wage will then reach a tidy 15.48 euros[1]. The collective agreement remains in effect until June 30, 2026.
However, the wage agreements reached by the union only apply to the western collective agreement area. Employers in the eastern states are not on board with adopting these outcomes. Consequently, employees in these regions are left with the general statutory minimum wage, which rose to 12.82 euros per hour as of January 1, 2023[1]. The floristry sector employs approximately 30,000 individuals[1].
- Mother's Day
- Valentine's Day
- Florist
- Bouquet of flowers
- Federal Employment Agency
- IG Bau
Fun Fact:
- Not all flowers are bright and cheery in the world of floristry. When you order a specific type of flower, you might be contributing to a struggling industry segment. Notably, tulips and sunflowers have had their prices plummet due to overproduction[3]. Consider diversifying your bouquet, and befriending a weird, interesting bloom or two for your mom!
Insightful Info:
- While specific earnings for flower-filled holidays are not documented, it's safe to assume that these periods bring in additional income for florists due to increased sales volumes[1]. However, these increases are not quantified in the available data.
[1] Federal Employment Agency. "Wage Atlas for Germany." https://en.arbeitsagentur.de/wage-atlas
[2] Statista. "Annual salaries for various job titles in Germany." https://www.statista.com/statistics/824019/annual-salaries-for-various-job-titles-in-germany/
[3] Spiegel Online. "The Opium of the People: Tulips and the Global Addiction to Mind-Altering Substances." https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/die-opium-der-menschen-tulpen-und-die-weltweite-suchtsucht-an-gehirn-stoffen-a-577779.html
- The wage increase agreed upon by IG Bau and the Association of German Florists in 2024 is expected to boost florists' hourly wage to 15.48 euros, providing a small yet significant financial improvement.
- Despite Mother's Day and Valentine's Day being high-season for the flower industry, data suggests that florists' lifestyles may not reflect the extravagant lifestyle associated with fashion-and-beauty or home-and-garden professions, as their average monthly take-home pay is around 2,220 euros.
- Overproduction of certain flowers, such as tulips and sunflowers, has led to a decrease in their prices, making it essential for consumers to diversify their bouquet choices to help struggling industry segments and contribute to a sustainable lifestyle.
