Building an enduring franchise means creating a relationship with the consumer that is unrivaled by the competition. We enjoy such a competitive advantage today in our North American consumer business.
The strength of this business was obvious in 2005 as our North American business grew sales by 6 percent and improved operating income by 12 percent. Our relationship with the consumer was critical in achieving that performance. It resulted in a 7 percent increase in consumer purchases of ScottsMiracle-Gro products, with improvements in every major category in which we compete, as well as market share improvements for each of our leading brands – Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, Ortho® and Roundup®.
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The key to our continued success with consumers is two-fold. First, it is based on understanding their desire to more easily succeed in the lawn or garden. Second, it is based on trust, which we have earned throughout the years by clearly communicating with consumers and offering them superior products. |
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