Home and Garden

Based on a sample of 32 companies within the Home and garden sector, we have analysed the prevailing payment behaviour to determine the financial stability and liquidity of the supply chain. The data indicates a highly consistent central tendency, with the average payment time of 41.7 days aligning almost perfectly with the median of 42 days. This symmetry suggests that payment practices are relatively stabilised around the six-week mark, rather than being skewed heavily by extreme outliers. Whilst this figure is not immediate, it demonstrates a predictable rhythm amongst the majority of the organisations reviewed, establishing a clear benchmark for expectations in this industry.

A detailed segmentation of the data reveals that the sector is somewhat fragmented regarding payment speed. Organisation of the companies into performance bands shows that whilst 28.1% fall into the 'Fast' category (0-30 days), the largest concentration remains in the 'Moderate' band (31-45 days), accounting for 34.4% of the sample. The interquartile range of 24 days highlights a significant gap in operational efficiency; the top 25th percentile settles accounts by day 28, whereas the 75th percentile stretches to 52 days. Suppliers trading in this sector must realise that although rapid payment is achievable, a waiting period extending towards two months is statistically common.

The prevalence of late payments remains a distinct concern that warrants close attention. Specifically, 31.5% of all payments are classified as late, indicating that agreed contractual terms are frequently breached. Although the analysis shows no critical failures over 90 days, 12.5% of companies sit within the 'Very Slow' (61-90 days) bracket, with the slowest payer recorded at 81 days. This specific behaviour does not favour smaller suppliers who rely on tight cash flow to maintain operations. However, the total absence of payments exceeding 90 days suggests that whilst delays occur, total default or extreme delinquency is not currently a primary characteristic of this dataset.

Geographically, the sample is not centred exclusively on the capital; there is a strong representation from the North West and Yorkshire and The Humber (6 companies each), surpassing the London presence. This regional spread suggests the payment culture described is a national standard for the Home and garden sector rather than a localised anomaly. In summary, companies in this sector appear to specialise in mid-term settlement; suppliers should forecast for a median wait of 42 days, despite the fact that 42.4% of the performance volume is technically paid within the first month.