UK shoppers are increasingly concerned about the impact of pesticides on their own health, the health of farmers and farmworkers, wildlife and the natural environment. Supermarkets are also now more aware than ever of environmental issues and the urgent need to reduce the impact of their global supply chains in order to tackle the dual nature and climate crises. While some supermarkets have hugely increased their focus on dealing with pesticide-related harms thanks to our campaign, others are still not giving the issue the level of attention it so urgently needs.
PAN UK assessed and ranked supermarkets on their efforts to tackle pesticides in 2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021. During that time, and particularly in the years since 2019, we have also been advising supermarkets behind-the-scenes, helping their technical staff to implement a range of improvements. The 2024 survey and ranking is a great opportunity to take stock of the progress made so far by supermarkets and identify what they need to do next to better protect the health of their customers, farmers, workers and the natural environment from pesticides.
In the UK, both local and central government are facing a severe funding crisis, and we are constantly told that there is no money available for reducing pesticide-related harms. In contrast, the UK supermarket sector continues to make huge profits and has ample funds to invest in measures that protect human health and the environment. With their sprawling global supply chains and huge influence both in the UK and internationally, positive moves by supermarkets (such as banning a particular Highly Hazardous Pesticide) have the potential to ripple out across the world, improving the health of people and wildlife in dozens of countries. That’s why we continue to target the top UK supermarkets, calling for them to do more to tackle pesticides.
