A bit of googling makes me think that the second label is closer to reality, but it all depends what time-frame you're looking at. It would be nice if everyone quoted the expected size at, say, 10 years, but I guess it would depend on growing conditions. I'm sure your Drimys will be OK in a pot - at least for a few years, and that will slow it up a fair bit.

Thanks Beattie, a few years where it is will be fine, then it'll be someone elses problem. I'm going to take both labels back to the garden centre and show them.
It is a lovely plant, red stems and a lovely shade of green leaves with flowers to look forward to.

Mine has been in for 4 years, and has grown about a foot in all that time, so don't worry too much!

That's slow growing! Thanks Spritz, I'll relax about it now. Still going to ask the gc about their labelling though.

Yes, you definitely should. That's ridiculous!

Yes, mine doesn't grow very fast either. It seems to be OK to give it a light trim too, so I'm sure that it will be fine in a large pot for quite a time.