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Munich (dpa / lby) - Florists are also currently suffering from the corona pandemic.

Because instead of ordering the bouquet in the closed flower shop and collecting it separately, many customers take it with them in the supermarket.

“We can only watch the competition take over our business,” says Roland Maierhofer, Managing Director of the Bavarian Florists' Association.

"Rewe and Edeka are now hiring florists and having them make bouquets in a corner."

Many flower shops are struggling to survive anyway, says Maierhofer.

"There are many companies that will probably not survive this year."

Ordering and picking up hardly ever works with bouquets.

“When I buy a pack of pasta, I know exactly what I'm getting.

But it's different with flowers, ”explains Maierhofer.

«The customer wants to see: Which flowers are there?

What do I like? "

Now it's Valentine's Day - usually one of the most lucrative days for florists.

Many shops make up to 20 percent of their annual sales around February 14th, estimates the managing director of the florists' association.

“Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Easter and Christmas - these high holidays for florists are essential.

We draw on it all year round. "

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With a view to Valentine's Day, the amount of flowers in supermarkets must be significantly limited, says Toni Schuberl, member of the state parliament of the Greens.

"The Valentine's Day business is essential for the survival of the flower shops."

With a request to the state government, he wanted to ensure that the sale of all dispensable products is prohibited for the time being.

Competitive disadvantages are "regrettable, but unfortunately unavoidable at the moment," said the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

"Incidentally, a greater restriction of the ranges in the grocery stores would not bring any advantage to the closed businesses, but would further limit the range of goods for customers."

In fact, since the flower shops closed, customers have been buying more bouquets in the supermarket, confirms Edeka Nordbayern.

But the supermarket chain has not expanded its range.

When asked, Rewe only speaks of a “supplementary range”.

Therefore, there is "no reason to expand the flower range at the expense of other ranges for everyday use."

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The Florists' Association is now hoping for a cooperation.

"Perhaps one or the other supermarket will offer the local florist a shelf on Valentine's Day," says Maierhofer.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210131-99-240132 / 2

Bavarian Florists' Association