Why are roses so expensive on Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day causes men a (happy?) headache every year – Should I buy flowers this year? The prices of roses can increase significantly, from $2 to $10 per stem. Some florists don't even sell a single stem on Valentine's Day. So you're in a dilemma. As much as you love them, you can't justify the ridiculous price of roses on this day.

On the other hand, other men spoil the market by buying bouquets of roses that are bigger than those of their girlfriends. So you could end up buying roses reluctantly and complain that it is a robbery in broad daylight.

Florists know that they are less sensitive to the price of roses on this “special” day. However, this is not the only reason for the price increase. The cost of roses also increases significantly, as each party in the supply chain increases their prices sharply during this time.

Here's how your roses got from the rose farm to your better half – and why it's going to cost you a lot next week.

1. Rose farms

Opportunity costs

Rose growers must limit their rose production in preparation for Valentine's Day production. This means rose farms will not produce full-bud roses for 10 to 12 weeks.

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In addition, long-stemmed roses are most in demand on Valentine's Day. To produce one stem of long-stemmed roses, farmers have to sacrifice several rose buds.

Additional labor costs

Since roses have to be harvested manually, additional workers are hired to harvest and pack the roses. The production volume can be several times the usual delivery volume. This is to ensure that the roses arrive at the florist on time and not earlier or later.

2. Rose suppliers

Additional transport costs

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Since all of our roses are imported from overseas (80% from China), the need for cargo space increases during this time. Suppliers have to pay more because extra planes are used to deliver the roses in time for Valentine's Day. In addition, more trucks and drivers are needed to transport the flowers from the airport to the suppliers.

3. Florists

Additional work required to process the flowers

When the roses arrive at the florist, their lifespan is extended by removing the lower leaves and cutting the stems at an angle. Preservatives and warm water are added to increase the flower size. The roses are arranged, packaged and decorated in time for delivery on Valentine's Day. In turn, if florists offer delivery services, they must organize more trucks to deliver the roses to customers.

A one-day event that costs money

The fact that Valentine's Day is only one day presents a very tight deadline for each party in the supply chain to get their work done. Therefore, each party increases the selling price of the roses because extra labor is required to meet that tight deadline. And since consumers (boyfriends/husbands) are less sensitive to how much the florist charges for a bouquet of roses, any extra costs are passed on to you.

The story goes on

Since prices for all flowers increase during this time, consider other alternatives such as helium balloons (according to the florist, there is no price increase), stuffed animals (can be subjective), or even a flower pot! Couples can also each have a wish list to avoid worrying so much about what the other half wants. Valentine's Day is not the only day that couples should show their appreciation to each other.

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