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B&Q TO GO PEAT- FREE

Tuesday 17th April 2001

Market Leader's Plans Will Send Shock-Waves Through Retail Sector

The long-term future of some of Britains and Ireland's finest wildlife sites
was given a considerable boost today after it was revealed that B&Q, the
leading home and garden chain (with 30% market share), is planning to go
completely peat-free.

The move follows concerns over the environmental
impacts of peat extraction. The company's plans will send shock waves
through the highly competitive home and gardening retail sector, and
should lead to a rush of investment into composting facilities for the
production of peat-free alternatives.

Lowland raised peat bogs are amongst the most important and
valuable wildlife habitats we have. They are home to many important
species of birds, a wealth of unusual plants and thousands of rare
insect species. Only a fragment of near-natural bog remains in the UK and
Ireland.

B&Q's plans have been revealed by Friends of the Earth, which has
surveyed all the major retailers of growing media. The environment group
has compiled a detailed "Peat/Peat-Free Retailers League Table" to
advise gardeners where to shop over Eastern Bank Holiday Weekend
(traditionally the busiest in the gardening calendar). The ranking of
the retailers is likely to provoke great interest from the public who
have recently turned strongly against peat. (A poll in the latest
edition of BBC Gardeners World Magazine suggest 74% would support a peat
ban).

Friends of the Earth graded each retailer on:

Current policies for the sourcing and use of peat: Does the peat they
sell in bags or plant pots come from protected areas both here or
abroad, and do they use peat in store landscaping or displays?

Consumer choice (availability of peat free products): Do they stock a
comprehensive range of peat-free products in every store?

Future plans: Do they recognise that peat is an unsustainable product
and do they intend to eliminate peat sales in time?

Not surprisingly, B&Q's plans to go peat-free gained it top place in the
table scoring 18 out of a possible 20 points, way above its nearest
competitors, Homebase and Focus-Do-It-All both on 12 points. Wyevale
Country Gardens and Tesco are languishing at the bottom, in 9th place (7
points) and 10th place (6 points) respectively. But Friends of the Earth
is scornful of the handful of retailers that failed to return
questionnaires (including Asda and, Nottcuts). When chased, Asda replied
that they had "thrown it in the bin!".

In contrast, B&Q completed the questionnaire and sent a copy of their
detailed peat policy (which was updated in March 2001). The policy
acknowledges the unsustainable nature of peat extraction, and the damage
it is causing to some of the finest wildlife sites both here in the UK
and abroad. The company sets a broad target of eliminating all peat
sales over the next ten years. But B&Q have also committed themselves to
peat-free dilution strategies for each individual peat product.

At the moment, only 27% of B&Q's growing media and soil conditioner
sales are peat-free. But by 2006 they intend this to be 85% at which
point there will be a progress review and new targets set for going
completely peat free. The strategy applies to the whole range, not just
own-label. Nurseries supplying B&Q with plant grown in peat will also
have to meet the targets.

The retailer has also committed itself to clear labelling on all
products, showing exactly the percentage composition of peat /
peat-free. And, they intend to increase their range of entirely
peat-free products.

Craig Bennett, Peat Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

"Friends of the Earth and other environmental groups have been
consulted by B&Q over the last year about what their new peat policy
should say. We told them that it should be a strategy for going
peat-free. But, we are delighted with how comprehensive their new policy
is.

B&Q are now the clear leader amongst growing media retailers, and they
have set a standard for others to follow. The public clearly want it,
and there should now be no excuses - if they can do it when they B&Q it,
why can't the other retailers go peat-free also?".

Craig Bennett Tel. 0044 20 7566 1667

___________________________________________

Irish Peatland Conservation Council
119 Capel Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel: +353-1-8722384
Fax: +353-1-8722397

e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie
web: http://www.ipcc.ie

IPCC - Action for Bogs & Wildlife - Ag caomhnu na bportach