Tracking peat usage in growing media production – method statement
Updated 16 December 2025
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Background
Growing media monitoring has been carried out since 2005, with monitoring projects varying over the years. At different times Defra has worked with the:
- Growing Media Association (GMA)
- Horticultural Trades Association (HTA)
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)
We also engage consultants to run the monitoring project. This involves measuring and tracking the proportion and volume of ingredients used in growing media sold by manufacturers to the UK’s retail and professional sectors.
We are grateful to the growing media manufacturers for their co-operation in recording and providing data to our consultants - currently SJB Quality Consulting Ltd.
Data for previous years is available in the following project reports (please note that the methodology has changed at various times during this period and not all data is directly comparable):
Research methodology
Data on the volume and composition of growing media supplied to the UK amateur and professional use horticultural markets was collected by our consultants. A third party was engaged to ensure the privacy of information which was provided on a confidential basis.
Commentary
The figures show:
- an overall fall in total volume of substrates sold in 2023
- since the methodology changed in 2021 it is now only possible to make comparisons with the 2021 data
- substrate usage is 74.3% retail compared to 25.7% professional
- peat usage is 51.1% retail compared to 48.9% professional