Phil Pickin

The lockdown has had a significant impact on just about every aspect of our lives, and in all likelihood these will be felt for many years to come. The full impact on the world’s economy is, at the time of writing, not entirely known, but it’s going to be very significant. So with this in mind we wanted to find out how the lockdown impacted on the bird food industry, an industry worth some £200 million in the UK alone.

Throughout the lockdown period, many organisations and individuals worked hard to provide online encouragement to all ages and to engage with the wildlife in their own gardens and local areas.

This not only allowed avid birders to share their interest, but also helped others build a relationship with wildlife, something known to improve mental health. So the question is, has that increased connection with the birds in the garden resulted in more people buying bird food during the lockdown?

We put this question to a number of bird food suppliers to find out how the last few months have been for them?

Engage with wildlife

CJ Wildlife

is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of bird food and related products. Started in 1987 by Chris Whittles, a lifelong ornithologist and wildlife enthusiast, the company has continued to grow and operates in nine other European countries. When asked about their experiences during the lockdown, a spokesperson told us: “At a time of uncertainty and personal restrictions, people’s focus has turned