News Flash: People Procrastinate When Shopping for their Valentine

Retailer's data shows nearly 40 percent of flower purchases happen from 3-6 p.m. Valentine's Day

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Feb 10, 2015, 07:00 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether you love the holiday, or just feel obligated to buy a gift, chances are you are waiting until the last minute if you are purchasing roses. According to purchase data from Meijer, customers traditionally wait until the last minute to make their Valentine's Day flower purchases. In fact, Meijer research shows that the majority of sales for roses – nearly 40 percent – happen from 3-6 p.m. on Valentine's Day.

"If you're a procrastinator, don't worry because you're honestly in good company," Meijer Floral Buyer Jamie Robertson said. "This year's crop of roses is the best we've seen in years, and our stores are receiving fresh flower deliveries twice a week so all of our customers can get what they need – even up to the last minute."

Consumers continue to show their affection by buying flowers for that special someone, making Valentine's Day the No. 1 holiday for fresh cut flower purchases. Roses remain a favorite and Meijer expects to sell nearly 1 million roses this Valentine's Day.

"If laid head to stem, that's enough roses to span 215 miles – or the distance from Grand Rapids to Indianapolis," Robertson said.

The floral purchasing team at Meijer is particularly pleased with the quality of this year's rose crop, which featured vibrant colors and big rose heads. For those who prefer something different for their Valentine, Meijer has an extensive floral department with more than 30 varieties of high quality, beautiful fresh cut flowers.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 213 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As the inventor of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronics offerings. For more information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.