Industry Sustainability

Did you know?

Up to 90% of cut flowers in the UK are imported through vast, resource-intensive supply chains known as ‘cold chains’. These leave a huge carbon footprint and have a lasting, damaging impact on our planet.

Imported flowers produce 19x more carbon emissions than those produced locally.

An inter-continental trade.

The majority of cut flowers in the UK travel thousands of miles before they make it here. The Netherlands, Israel, Ecuador, Colombia, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Malaysia are some of the largest exporters of flowers to this country. Many flowers imported from the Netherlands actually started their life in other countries; the Nerthlands acts as a huge ‘middle-man’ in this inter-continental trade.

Cold Chains.

Flowers start to die the second they are cut from the plant, so the export industry relies on intensive methods to keep them as fresh as possible; the supply chain is known as a ‘cold-chain’. Exporters rely on refrigerated facilities on farms, lorries, depots, boats and planes, which demand huge energy resources.

Air Miles.

As well as relying on refrigeration to maintain freshness, the industry is also reliant on rapid transportation. Unfortunately, this means many cut flowers sold in the UK come with an incredible amount of air miles.

Chemicals.

Large exporters tend to be heavily reliant on agrochemicals which decimate our precious ecology. Insecticides and pesticides are used to control insect and animal pests throughout the growing and transportation of flowers. The chemicals have harmful effects on air quality, drinking water and the lifespan of many species of animals, polluting the planet and acting as a catalyst for climate change.