In This Issue
British Garden Centres finally acquire 8 Hillview centres
The Big Three - GTN interviews Graeme Jenkins, Charles Stubbs and Alan Roper
GTN's Sustainability Directory 2020
It’s an all-time winter high, according to GTN Bestsellers Epos data
HTA comments on the general election result
Dobbies made £14m loss after buying six centres for £70m
Another record Christmas sales week
TV journalist Paul Mason to address GCA delegates on economy and politics
Notcutts appoint new non-exec director and chair
Longest throw will win Rosebourne customer next year's Christmas tree...and tea for two
Children cheer the elderly with Christmas songs at Coolings
Chancellor drops in on Trans Continental on election campaign trail
Stylish ranges from Candlelight set for Spring Fair launch
Share your memories of GIMA Awards to mark event's 40th birthday
Spring Fair launches award to recognise ethical suppliers
Tesco switches to biodegradable glitter on plants and flowers
Product Merchandiser
Full Time Merchandiser /Sales representative
HTA welcomes 'clarity' after general election result
Calling all Garden Centre Suppliers - Submit your FREE Sustainability Directory Entry here
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
GCA conference to welcome double Olympic gold medallist
More sales increases for plants
Spotlight on biosecurity and plant health at New Year HTA Contact Conference
Christmas footfall converts to garden product sales
December gardening activity at all-time high
New head gardener for 'biggest restoration since Heligan'
Encouraging signs for Wild Bird Care sales
The best of last week's
It's a record November for sales - GTN Bestsellers Epos Analysis
New Henry Bell wild bird care brand reaches Dobbies shelves
Peat vs. peat-free: how the market is shaping up
Zest 4 Leisure announces new senior organisational structure
Bents give away 10 Nordmanns to local causes
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Mince pies for charity runners...courtesy of Tong Garden Centre
Situations Vacant
Product Merchandiser
Norfolk and surrounding areas. Salary: Very attractive salary, company vehicle.
 
Read more»
Full Time Merchandiser /Sales representative
Approximately 50 mile radius of Reading
 
Read more»
HTA welcomes 'clarity' after general election result

HTA policy and communications director James Clark has welcomed what he describes as the clarity provided by the general election result...

 

Read more»
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news. 

Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700






Peat vs. peat-free: how the market is shaping up

As the largest own-brand supplier of growing media and barks in the UK, Bord na Móna is driven by delivering exceptional products to market. Across the group it specialises in renewable energy, horticulture, resource recovery and eco-fuels, and sees the importance of helping the UK government to hit its target of reaching zero carbon emissions by 2050.

 

Bord Na Móna’s ‘Brown to Green’ strategy has spearheaded the company’s intent to support the national climate and energy policy. Its aim is to speed up the development of renewable energy assets, as well as accelerating investment in higher-value recycling and resource recovery business.

 

Steve Harper, UK Head of Commercial and Marketing at Bord na Móna, keeps his finger on the ‘peat vs peat-free’ pulse to ensure that Bord Na Móna can stay ahead of the curve.

 

“The UK government has issued a number of targets over the years, such as the aim for all soil improvers and growing media to be 50 per cent peat-free by 2005 and 90 per cent peat-free by 2010, however both targets were missed,” he said.  This was followed up by the 2011 White Paper ‘The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature’ which stated that the government will commit to reducing peat use to zero by 2030 and critically end its use by consumers in 2020. So needless to say the debate – or the challenge – continues.”

 

The White Paper Harper refers to had a profound effect, resulting in the setup of the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media that enables Defra, NGOs, retailers, growers and manufacturers to make the best-informed decisions about different constituent formulations, maximising the environmental and social benefits, as well as considering cost. “I am personally delighted to be leading this at Bord Na Móna,” Harper continued, “as we strive to ensure growing media is made from materials that are sourced and manufactured in a way that is both socially and environmentally responsible; supporting the government is of great importance to us.”

 

The manufacturers are typically members of the Growing Media Association (GMA) which is concerned with the development, production, marketing and sale of growing media and soil improvers in the UK and Ireland and the ingredients used.

 

Phenomenal progress has been achieved across the sector since its inception in order to support the UK government’s targets. Members of the GMA cover the whole spectrum of growing media suppliers, from businesses that started out as peat producers to those that run entirely peat-free operations. Steve feels confident that all members that began life as peat producers have worked hard to reduce the peat content in their products and develop alternatives.

 

Peat has always been the cheapest raw material available on the market, with all other diluents between two to six times more expensive, so has been the go-to product, especially for many who are price conscious. This is one of the reasons why Bord Na Móna has now launched a new peat-free brand, Happy Compost, using a wide range of ingredients to reduce peat –  for example coir, green compost, composted bark fines and a recycled wood fibre – that works as well as the peat-based products they are replacing.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg | Comment (0)
Comment
Name:*

Email Address:*

Comment:*