A London-based Christmas tree rental service has grown from just 25 orders in its first season to 700 this year, reflecting a rise in demand for pot-grown, returnable trees as a greener way of celebration.
London Christmas Tree Rental began in 2018, when its founder, Jonathan, noticed discarded Christmas trees left on the streets after the festive season. He decided there must be a better way to celebrate Christmas.
Jonathan told Raven, “This year, 700 trees have been booked so far. So yes, I can say the trend toward renting a tree is growing. In fact, many families opt to book the same Christmas tree year after year. They even name the tree.”
Jonathan has about 300 repeat customers this year which he thinks is an indication of growing awareness about environment. “Considering the notion seven million trees are cut down in the UK every year, it is important that we reduce landfill waste and carbon footprint. We prioritize sustainability in every aspect of our business,” he said.
The rental model seems eco-friendly to people and for most people it is not a very pleasant feeling to give away the tree to be disposed of, he said. The same pot-grown tree can be rented for about five to seven years before it’s replanted.
It is common to see Christmas trees left outside homes to be picked up by the council after the festive period. These trees are either recycled or sent to landfill.
Under the rental service, pot-grown trees are rented to customers and cared for throughout the year after being collected in January. The smallest trees are about 3 ft tall and are rented until they reach 7 ft, after which they are replanted.
Christmas on the Hill is another company offering the service. Going a step further they aim to reduce pollution caused by transport of trees. Their spokesperson said, “We offer delivery and collection to most London postcodes, and this year we’re aiming for 50% of our trees to be delivered by electric bikes.”
Rental trees can only remain indoors for a maximum of 3.5 weeks and must be watered daily. Christmas on the Hill also focuses on trees grown in the UK as they have a much lower carbon footprint than those grown in Norway, Canada, and the U.S.
The trend is also becoming popular in other parts of the UK. The BBC reported that a Christmas tree rental business in Leicestershire was overwhelmed with orders this year.
Alastair Lucking and his wife Diane started their business a decade ago, and this year has been the busiest—they were forced to stop taking orders more than two weeks ago. The couple owns a four-acre plot of land where they grow and care for trees.
Rental Clause caters to renting Christmas trees in Gloucester and surrounding areas. Craig Tennock, the founder, said that he has seen a huge rise in the rental market in recent years.
The Freshwater family in Gloucester, who rent the same tree year after year from Rental Clause, told Country Living that they call their tree “Florence.”
“She is part of the family and has grown from her younger years. We await her arrival every year,” Abi Freshwater said.
However, rental businesses fear that inflation will impact the industry in the coming years. Jonathan said that the cost of care and transport (delivery and pick-up) has risen in recent years. He hopes to balance the growing costs to keep the business going.
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