Pesticides (and other nasties)

Many farmers are reliant on artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers – not only can they have a devastating effect on wildlife and ecosystems, but they can find their way into our food too. Organic farming uses virtually no pesticides, and only a very limited number of naturally occurring fungicides and insecticides are permitted, with severely restricted use. Organic farming also bans the use of artificial fertilisers.

In our sourcing and cafés

We prioritise organic certified products across all lines and in our cafés too. By doing this, we’ve reduced the risk of exposing our customers to artificial pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilisers.

After organic, we look first to producers using ingredients from sustainable farming. For instance, over 99% of our fresh produce is certified organic, and the remaining producers are all using agroecological methods to farm, with low or no reliance on artificial pesticides and fertilisers.

Where we want to be

We’re confident that the high proportion of organic products we stock means that artificial pesticides and fertilisers are kept to a minimum across much of our supply chain. We’re working to increase the proportion of organic across our product range, which will ensure that this level only reduces over time.

How are we keeping an eye on this policy and putting it into practice?

We ask all new suppliers to tell us about their organic certification status and their growing practices where relevant. Our buying team prioritise organic products and products from low impact farming, meaning there is lower risk of exposure to artificial pesticides and fertilisers in those products.