Valentine’s Day was no bed of roses for florists this year as they found themselves undercut once again by street hawkers who established flower sellers say are allowed to operate on an unfair playing field.
“Whenever we have a big day like Valentine’s Day or Mothers’ Day, a bunch of hawkers appear from nowhere,” said Mark Gatt, owner of the Flower Shop in St Paul’s Bay.
“Most of them have nothing to do with the industry. They just get a quick permit from the local council and set up.”
Mr Gatt said street sellers often imported their flowers weeks in advance of big days, while costs were still low. The consequence, however, was that such flowers often wilted hours or days after purchase, and consumers were left with no reference point to address their complaint.
“We pay all our overheads in anticipation of these big days, and they’re just opening shop on roundabouts or in garages for these specific days,” he said. “It’s not a level playing field.”
Florists have held meetings with the government since the days of the previous administration but, to date, have not seen any progress.
The problem, according to Mr Gatt, is that permits are issued by five different entities for just a nominal fee. Florists are calling for closer regulation on the number of permits and a higher licence fee to ensure a fair market situation.
Meetings with the previous administration had also flagged up the number of hawkers operating without a valid licence or violating the terms of their licence by setting up in dangerous locations on the road.
“We held a meeting with [economy minister] Chris Cardona last year and he promised he’d work on it, but a year has gone by and if anything the situation has got even worse,” said Mark Muscat, owner of the Qronfla chain of outlets.
“It affects our business in general,” Mr Muscat said. “Most shops have reduced their advertising because fewer people are going to come to us when they’ll come across a number of stalls while they’re on their way. There’s been a heavy decline in deliveries and online bookings as well.”
Mr Gatt also said consumers should share an interest in ensuring their flowers came from reputable sources. “Don’t let people make a fool out of you,” he said.
Questions sent to the economy ministry were not answered by the time of going to print.