Peat-free gardening Shane Matthews, Garden Sundries Supervisor at Planters Garden Centre Tamworth and Beth Ingram, Customer Service Manager told GTN: “We are currently seeing a high proportion of customers asking for and purchasing peat free. Miracle Gro peat free is one of our bestselling lines in compost next to Jack’s Magic and JAB multipurpose which is our entry level compost. We have a varied mix to who is buying it. I would say 60% of sales are to new younger gardeners who also seem to be going for the organic and pesticide free chemicals. “The attitude of our older, more experienced customers is quite negative towards peat-free as I don’t think experienced gardeners are comfortable and confident that they will get the results from the peat-free compost. “There now is really no price difference between With the Peat-o-meter in the amber section, customers peat free andpeat-based can easily see that specialist compost. A lot of customers rose growing media are not bothered and will contains a level of peat. just go for the three for £15 JAB multipurpose as that’s the perceived best value. Some customers don’t know what peat is and seem a
nowhere near like it was a few years ago. We have brought prices more in line anyway. Compost has always been too cheap for what it does. “We have started selling Rocketgro peat free which is sourced within 15 miles from us and is proving to be very popular in-store and online.I have used the new compost at home so know how it works and any tricks I pass onto the staff if they don’t garden for when they are getting asked questions. The feed value in the peat free is great and young plants love it, just the watering side is harder as the compost does not change colour like peat does.” Kevin Turley of Lakeside Plant Centre comments: “We’ve had a slight increase but nothing major. Compost is on track with last year, but the peat free side has not altered either way. It is mostly ladies who are buying peat free. Our traditional gardeners like what they like which is the likes of Jacks Magic. “I am always keen to our bit, but it is down to the end consumer what we sell. I have just brought in fatballs in boxes rather than buckets and it has strangely knocked sales a little, I am not sure why as it is priced the same. I am very much a dinosaur and I like what I like but will carry on stocking what customers want and trying to offer all the full mix of options.”
Neudorff’s new sustainability report Neudorff is proud to publish its latest sustainability report – making it one of the few medium-sized companies in the green sector to do so in recent years. The current version of the digital “Magazine for Sustainability 2020” can be found online at www.neudorff.co.uk/sustainability. The report is based on the 17 goals for sustainable development defined by the United Nations.
Sustainability is in Neudorff ff’s f DNA. The manufacturer of environmentally friendly plant care products has been working assiduously for many years to become increasingly sustainable in all areas of the company. Part of this process has been to define goals and conduct regular reviews on what has already been achieved. The current Magazine for Sustainability informs employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders on the company’s activities, its vision and ongoing goals. A summary of the Neudorff fff Sustainability report includes the company’s medium-term goal is to lower its own CO2 footprint, as well as continuing to protect resources by committing to increasing the amount of raw materials it uses that are of a domestic, or even regional, origin. The report also outlines how fff has also already achieved climate-neutral Neudorff production at all its facilities through the generation
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of its own green energy and, where applicable, will continue to off ffset f unavoidable emissions with climate protection certificates. Elsewhere, Neudorff fff highlights its use of hydropower, photovoltaics and combined heat and power to generate the energy its uses in its manufacturing process, with the report also outlining the company’s ongoing conversion of its company vehicle fleet to electromobility. Additionally, the company takes its responsibilities as an employer very seriously and within the Sustainability report explains more about this, including how each year it provides a training programme for young people, employing, on average, two thirds of them. As a company driven by equality, the report also showcases the proportion of women in managerial positions at ff,f which currentlystands at 35%; 7% higher Neudorff than the German average according to Statista*.
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