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Christmas trees are getting more expensive.
Experts say that Christmas trees are among the items hit hard by supply chain issues, which will result in higher prices this holiday season.
How much more will you pay for a Christmas tree this year? Experts say buyers should expect to pay between 10% and 30% more.
“Prices have gone up significantly,” John Mohlenhoff told the Associated Press. He’s the secretary of a fire department in Huntington, which sells Christmas trees annually. “We’ve had to compromise on what types of trees we’re getting, sizes, everything.”
What’s causing the higher prices for Christmas trees?
A combination of factors. First, the supply chain issues that have been well-documented. Getting items from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’ has become a challenge. Major retailers are reporting that they have about 40% of their ‘normal’ inventory. Second, was what experts describe was ‘over-the-top’ purchasing in 2020.
That’s right. Due to the pandemic last year – people actually bought significantly more Christmas trees than in the past. That created a long-term inventory issue. It takes eight to 10 years for a tree to reach maturity.
All of this has created issues in the artificial tree world, too. Prices of those trees have gone up, and supply chain issues are rampant across stores that ordinarily stock a lot of them.
The takeaway? Like anything in 2021 – the key is buying early. Don’t wait to buy the tree – even if you plan to wait another week or so to put it up.
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