Peat bogs store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined, yet the UK still allows commercial extraction for horticulture. More than 90% of extracted peat in the UK goes to gardening, and most plants sold in garden centers are grown in peat even if the compost bag says otherwise. The UK government has promised a ban on peat sales multiple times since 1999, but each deadline has been missed. The latest Labour pledge from 2024 includes a ban 'when parliamentary time allows,' which campaigners say leaves the policy stuck behind bigger priorities. About 760,000 cubic meters of peat is used in UK horticulture each year, and 80% of UK peatlands are already damaged. A ban has broad public support with over 95% of consultation respondents backing it. The Peat-Free Partnership and the RHS continue pushing for legislation, but until it passes, gardeners and consumers have to check both compost and plant origins to avoid hidden peat.
