The Real Price of Cheap Flowers
You’ve seen them—those neat little bouquets by the supermarket checkout, wrapped in plastic, flown halfway across the world, and selling for less than a cup of coffee. But have you ever stopped to wonder how they can be so cheap?
The truth is, cheap flowers often come with hidden costs that don’t appear on the price tag.
The Air Miles
Most supermarket flowers are grown thousands of miles away—mainly in Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, or the Netherlands—before being packed, chilled, and flown or trucked into Ireland. That single €5 bouquet can carry a carbon footprint equivalent to the entire balance of your weekly shop.
The Water
In many flower-exporting countries, flower farms use huge amounts of water in areas already struggling with water scarcity. Some are even diverting water away from local communities to keep their crops alive for export. That’s not just unsustainable—it’s unjust.
The Chemicals
Most imported flowers are treated with pesticides, fungicides, and preservatives—some of which are banned in the EU but still used abroad. Because they’re not food, flower safety rules are often looser, and farm workers are the ones paying the price for Tesco & LIDL’s cheap checkout flowers.
The People
Behind the bright blooms are the injustice of poor wages, long hours, and poor working conditions.
While not every imported bouquet comes from an exploitative system, the industry has long struggled with labor abuses—especially for women.
Flowers That Feel Good to Give (Here comes the plug)
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to brighten someone’s day with flowers. But there’s something deeply right about knowing your flowers didn’t cost the earth—or someone’s dignity.
Our seasonal, hand-tied bunches are a celebration of Irish soil, Irish growing, and a better way of doing things. They’re scented, sustainable, and full of life—just as flowers should be.
So the next time you need flowers, skip the checkout queue. Choose real. Choose seasonal. Choose Bare Acre.
Because expressing your love should not come at a hidden price.
