On the eve of 8 March, the average flower bill in Kazan 20% up

Inexpensive tulips are running out

Realnoe Vremya calculated how much the most popular flowers among buyers have increased in price before International Women's Day. For comparison, the lower price threshold for the most budget bouquets was taken. In this case, the cost of one flower had to be calculated — today in Kazan, even in retail, flowers are almost never offered individually, and the minimum quantity varies from three to five, or even up to 9, depending on the seller.

The cheapest bouquets can be purchased in retail chains — there, prices for popular spring flowers — tulips — start at 80 rubles apiece, for roses — from 129, for spray chrysanthemums — from 133, for irises — from 95. However, the choice in the chains is not wide, and some have limited themselves to bringing in only tulips. And many are already running out of those — on the websites, some bouquets are marked as unavailable for ordering/purchase.

Prices for online purchases for most flowers are noticeably higher. A tulip costs 180-200 rubles, and a bouquet often must consist of at least 15 flowers. Bush chrysanthemums are 2-3.5 times more expensive than in chain stores, but prices for roses online and offline are quite comparable.

Spontaneous traders of mimosa (author’s note: silver acacia) ask 350 rubles for a sprig on the streets of Kazan, which a year ago cost 100-150 rubles less. And from 500 to 1,000 rubles for a bouquet — depending on the size.

The check has grown by 25-36%

On the eve of 8 March, prices for popular cut flowers in Kazan have grown, according to Realnoe Vremya experts, by an average of 20%. This fits in well with the all-Russian trend. According to a study by the analytical resource Check Index of ODF Platform company, a bouquet of flowers in 2025 in non-chain retail has increased in price by 18%, and online — by almost 25%.

Before the rush, the average check for tulips exceeded the 2024 level by 25% (the number of purchases decreased by 4%), for roses — by 12% (the number of purchases increased by 12%), for chrysanthemums — by 31% (the number of purchases increased by 16%), for lilies — by 39% (the number of purchases increased by 30%).

Check Index predicted at the beginning of March an increase in the average check by another 18-20% (up to 3,900-4,000 rubles per bouquet on average in Russia), and sales volume — by 20 times.

“Roses can be bought cheaper than tulips”

Avrora Tarasova, the founder of the Kazan chain of flower shops Aurora, says that the pre-holiday price increase for spring bouquets in Kazan was about 20%, and it is “normal,” but compared to last year, the increase is quite significant:

“Prices jumped sharply already at the end of 2024, and compared to last 8 March, they almost doubled.”

One of the main items is chrysanthemum, it has doubled in price in November compared to the summer. In 2024, the holiday price for chrysanthemum was about 300 rubles, in the summer — 150-200, and now — 500.

Tarasova attributes the significant price increase to the exchange rate, because settlements with foreign partners are conducted in euros and dollars, and delivery today is often carried out far from directly, but via complex routes — through Kazakhstan, Belarus, which leads to higher logistics costs.

“Previously, a flower would travel to us for 6-7 days, and now the road takes 10 days,” she explained. “Accordingly, costs have increased by one and a half times, as a result, imported flowers have become almost an order of magnitude more expensive. Well, local ones have also raised prices very much.”

According to the entrepreneur, another circumstance influenced the increase in prices for one of the top spring items in the price list of our florists — tulips. In 2024, Russian producers had big problems with bulbs — they simply were not enough, so what grew was already sold at a fairly inflated price. And some of the bulbs planted by 8 March 2025, turned out to be defective:

“Well, when you have 30% defective, the final product will be 30% more expensive. If earlier the tulip was positioned as the cheapest flower and people bought it in large bunches, now even roses can be bought cheaper tulips. Previously, the tulip was positioned as the most inexpensive flower.

Even greenhouses that accepted orders for tulips in advance on a pre-paid basis were also unable to fulfil all their obligations, noted Avrora Tarasova. And she added that flowers are not a product of prime necessity, but the first thing that Russians refuse in difficult times. Therefore, those who previously bought inexpensive bouquets, as they say, for show, this year will most likely refuse them in favour of other, more budget-friendly gifts, and those who buy flowers regularly will still choose a bouquet — within the pre-planned amount, and it will probably be more modest than before.

“Mass market will fall off”

Owner and CEO of the Kazan chains Flower Base and House of Roses Artur Shaidullin says that the average bill for bouquets has increased by about 25-30% since 2024, and flower prices have increased in the same proportion.

“This year, compared to last year, tulips have gone up in price by about 30% by 8 March,” he told Realnoe Vremya. “Because Holland had a bad harvest, and 20% fewer bulbs sprouted. But Ecuadorian roses and bush chrysanthemums have become very expensive, because their prices have increased at auctions. Well, inflation has had an effect, and marketing has become more expensive.”

According to Shaidullin, the rise in flower prices will continue regardless of the holidays. And this will lead to the fact that the mass market segment of buyers will “fall off” — they will buy less and less often. But the flower business will not collapse from this:

“We keep revenue at the same level with a slight increase. We have fewer orders, there are still customers who are willing to pay more. And the rest either refuse to buy or buy in small wholesale stores.”

According to Yandex Maps, there are currently 485 flower shops in Kazan — compared to 2024, their number has increased by 4%. Kazan took third place in the number of flower shops per 1,000 people in the rating of Russian cities compiled by the service, far ahead of both Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

According to Avito, users have begun to order flowers more often — sales of bouquets over the past month have grown by 72% compared to January 2025. Potted plants are becoming a popular alternative to cut flowers — they were chosen 24% more often in February than a month earlier.