Christmas tree shoppers left with fewer options, higher prices

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A supply and demand issue with Christmas trees is leaving shoppers with fewer options and a steeper price on the holiday staple.

"What we have is what we have right now," said Alex Jaconski, the manager of Stanley's Hardware in Roxborough. "It's all COVID-related. Certainly pandemic and supply is screwed up so we're just experiencing that like everybody else."

Jaconski says he ordered his usual stock of artificial Christmas trees in February and that shipment came in late. The store also got only a quarter of the live trees it normally sells.

The Christmas Tree Stand in South Philadelphia is experiencing a similar problem.

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"We used to sell about 4,000 Christmas trees and this year we're only able to get 2,000. So half as many as we used to sell," said owner Michael Rybass.

In 2008, when the recession hit, fewer farmers chose to harvest trees because demand was so low. The Action News Data Journalism team says from 2012-2017 the number of farms harvesting trees dropped over 16%.

It takes farmers 10 years to grow Christmas trees, so we're feeling the effects of that drop-off now.

"Selection has been a little more difficult because we don't have an excess supply. That has allowed prices to rise over the last five years," said Doug Hundley, a spokesperson for the National Christmas Tree Association.

Prices have risen as much as 40% over the last five years. For instance, a tree that may have cost $60 in 2017 will now cost over $100.

"About a week ago, all these bins were full. There were about 2,000 Christmas trees in here," said Rybass.

He says with supply low, he needs to charge more to get by.

"Just from going and doing your regular shopping, people kind of realize prices are up on everything, so it's not a huge shock to them that they're going to be paying more for Christmas trees as well," said Rybass.

The National Christmas Tree Association says anyone who wants a tree still should be able to find one, they may just have to check multiple stands and may have a smaller selection.

The manager of Stanley's Hardware says while the current supply of Christmas lights is low, he expects another shipment on Friday for anyone doing last-minute decorating.