​Inside Garden Retail Recruitment: Trends, Challenges & What’s Next for 2026

In this episode of The MorePeople Podcast, senior recruitment consultants Rae and Brian take a closer look at recruitment within the garden retail and horticulture supply chain. From evolving hiring trends to the realities of 2025 and expectations for 2026, this conversation offers a practical, on-the-ground perspective of a fast-moving and resilient sector.

A Year That Flew By

Like many across the industry, Rae and Brian reflect on just how quickly 2025 has passed. Despite early uncertainty around economic pressures, including rising National Insurance and National Living Wage costs, the year proved to be far more active than expected.

“We kept hearing people say it must be a slow year - but actually, it’s been our busiest yet.”

Strong weather conditions played a key role in boosting confidence across garden retail, horticulture, and fresh produce, helping to drive hiring activity and keep momentum high.

Recruitment Trends: Sales Roles Lead the Way

One of the standout trends from 2025 has been the volume of roles within sales and account management, particularly in the earlier part of the year.

While hiring slowed slightly towards year-end, demand for commercially focused professionals remained strong. Interestingly, there was a noticeable dip in buying roles -something both Rae and Brian expect to rebound in 2026.

Another key trend has been the movement of talent:

• Buyers transitioning into sales roles

• Increased crossover between commercial functions

• Greater flexibility in candidate backgrounds

This shift is creating new opportunities, but also new gaps, for businesses to fill.

Challenges in 2025: Caution & Counteroffers

Despite a busy year, it hasn’t been without its challenges.

Economic pressures led many businesses to rethink hiring plans, meaning some roles expected at the start of the year never materialised. At the same time, candidates became more cautious about making career moves.

One of the biggest hurdles? Counteroffers.

“With more businesses recognising the value of their people, we’ve seen a real increase in counteroffers.”

However, candidates in 2025 have generally been more deliberate and strategic. Rather than exploring the market casually, those considering a move are doing so with clear intent - making them less likely to accept counteroffers compared to previous years.

Building Relationships & Industry Presence

A major highlight for Rae and Brian has been strengthening their presence within the garden retail supply chain.

Through closer collaboration with industry bodies, events, and networking opportunities, they’ve:

• Built stronger relationships with clients and candidates

• Increased visibility within the sector

• Established themselves as trusted specialists in commercial recruitment

“It’s about showing what we’re capable of and proving the quality of candidates we can deliver.”

This focus on long-term relationships, not just transactions, has been key to their success.

The Value of Understanding the Client

One standout success story from the year involved a retained search for a family-run business hiring a senior leader.

What made it unique wasn’t just the role but the complexity behind it:

• Navigating family dynamics

• Balancing cultural fit with commercial needs

• Expanding the search beyond the immediate industry

“It really showed how important it is to understand a business beyond the surface.”

The result was a successful placement, and a great example of how tailored, consultative recruitment can deliver real impact.

“Weird and Wonderful” Roles

While core roles like sales and account management dominated, 2025 also brought its fair share of unique opportunities.

From e-commerce leadership roles to positions requiring completely different industry backgrounds, these “outlier” roles challenged traditional recruitment approaches and opened doors for new talent entering the sector.

Looking Ahead to 2026

So, what’s next?

For Brian, success in 2026 is about continued visibility and influence within the sector:
“I want to walk into industry events and recognise and be recognised by even more people.”

For Rae, the focus is on a return to more defined, live vacancies:
“I think we’ll see more roles where businesses know exactly what they need and we go out and find that person.”

After a year that required creativity and proactive candidate introduction, 2026 could bring a shift back to more structured hiring needs.

Final Thoughts: A Sector Full of Opportunity

If 2025 proved anything, it’s that the garden retail and horticulture supply chain remains resilient, adaptable, and full of opportunity.

With stronger networks, deeper expertise, and a growing reputation in the space, Rae and Brian are well positioned for what’s next.

And if their first podcast together is anything to go by, it’s just the beginning.

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