Recommendations for UK supermarkets – 2024 update

PAN UK is calling for supermarkets to take a range of measures to reduce pesticide-related harms linked to their operations. Below is a list of our full recommendations for all supermarkets. As revealed by our ranking, the efforts made by different supermarkets vary greatly, so some supermarkets will be taking many of the actions listed below, while others far fewer. However, no supermarket has adopted all the measures listed so they all have a way to go.

As a starting point, PAN UK would urge all supermarkets to state clearly in their company policies that their aim is to reduce both pesticide use and pesticide-related harms linked to their global supply chains. This will send a clear message to their suppliers about their direction of travel and provide their customers with confidence that their supermarket is working to better protect human health and environment from pesticides.

It should be noted that PAN UK expects all supermarkets to follow the laws in the countries in which they operate and, as such, the recommendations below go beyond legal compliance. In addition, wherever possible, supermarkets should be directly responsible for implementing the changes below and not rely on external certification schemes or third-party organisations.

In addition to the recommendations below for all supermarkets, we have also identified the priority areas for improvement for each of the top ten UK supermarkets. Visit your supermarket’s profile page to see where it should be focussing its efforts to have the most impact.

PAN UK’s 2024 ranking assessed supermarkets on six key topics related to pesticides and our specific recommendations are presented below. We are calling for supermarkets to:

1. Phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides from their global supply chains through the following actions:

Take a precautionary approach by phasing out the use of the most hazardous pesticides.
Adopt the PAN International List of Highly Hazardous Pesticides as the basis of their monitored, restricted and prohibited lists.
Use hazard classifications and other criteria to decide which active substances to prohibit, restrict and monitor.
Assess chronic human health hazards and risks when deciding which active substances to prohibit, restrict and monitor.
Regularly review and update their monitored, restricted and prohibited lists in line with the latest scientific research and regulatory decisions. Focus on making continuous improvement by ensuring that active substances move ‘up’ the list system, from monitored to restricted to prohibited. Create timebound plans for phasing out the use of the most hazardous active substances.
Expand the focus of their lists beyond active substances used to grow fresh fruit and vegetables so that their lists apply to all own-brand products.
Require additional safety measures (such as regular health screenings) for workers using specific active substances that are known to be particularly harmful to human health.
Make sure to have direct oversight over health and safety processes in their global supply chains and create mechanisms for directly involving farmworkers in identifying hazards, assessing who is at risk and how, and deciding, implementing and reviewing risk controls.
Systematically monitor pesticide poisonings of farmers and farmworkers in their global supply chains and use this data to inform which pesticides to prioritise for phase out.

2. Support their UK, EU and international suppliers to reduce pesticide use and adopt non-chemical alternatives and genuine Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches through the following actions:

Conduct and fund research into IPM techniques and share it with all their suppliers, as well as making it publicly available.
Provide training and develop practical guidance documents on pesticide reduction and IPM.
Offer bespoke advice to farmers and growers on how to reduce their pesticide use and adopt IPM techniques.
Establish grower groups to enable farmers and growers to come together and share learnings with each other on pesticide reduction and IPM.
Provide extra support to suppliers outside of the EU and UK to assist them in reducing their use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides.
Prioritise the development of IPM strategies to replace active substances included in the PAN International List of Highly Hazardous Pesticides, and/or included on the lists of pesticides which they monitor, restrict and/or have identified as a priority for phase out.
Put in place measures to reduce the post-harvest use of pesticides such as ensuring that fresh produce is packed and stored well.
Put in place additional measures to support non-organic suppliers to convert some, or all, of their production to organic.

3. Stringently monitor pesticide residues and take action to reduce residues in food through the following actions:

Test a wide variety of products for pesticide residues including, but not limited to, fruit and vegetables, wheat and other cereal products, processed and frozen foods, rice, meat, fish and dairy.
Prioritise active substances included in the PAN International List of Highly Hazardous Pesticides when testing for residues.
Include random sampling of products from across the global supply chain in their residue testing programmes to discourage bad agricultural practice by suppliers.
Have in place stringent and timely action plans for dealing with problems of high residues, including working with specific suppliers to help them reduce pesticide use and adopt non-chemical alternatives.
Use the results from their residue testing programmes to:
- inform which active substances to prioritise for phase-out.
- inform which crops and countries to prioritise for IPM strategies.
Adopt the strictest and, therefore most precautionary, Maximum Residue Level of any jurisdiction in which they operate. In particular, when EU and GB Maximum Residue Limits diverge, supermarkets should apply the stricter of the two.
Carry out stringent investigative action plans as soon as a residue that goes beyond 50% of the GB legal limit (Maximum Residue Level) is detected.
Put in place measures designed to reduce and avoid instances of multiple residues appearing on single items (known as ‘pesticide cocktails’).

4. Reduce the harm caused to bees and pollinators by their operations by taking a range of actions including but not limited to:

Ban the four bee-toxic neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and thiacloprid (which are banned in the UK) from use anywhere in the company’s global supply chains. End the use of other bee-toxic pesticides, including but not limited to acetamiprid, fipronil, sulfloxaflor, flupyradifurone and permethrin.
Commit to phasing out all highly bee-toxic pesticides from use within their global supply chains by 2030 and create detailed plans for achieving this aim, including increased support for suppliers and growers to help them transition away from using these chemicals.
Provide support such as training, guidance documents and advice to all suppliers to adopt pollinator-friendly practices such as leaving field margins uncultivated.
Require suppliers to monitor pollinator activity and provide data to the company.
Support research on the effect of pesticides on pollinators, pollinator-health on suppliers’ farms and alternative non-chemical practices and share the findings with growers.
Create forums to bring farmers together to share tips and advice on protecting pollinators.
Immediately end the use of pesticides around their stores, car parks and other land and let bee-friendly vegetation grow wherever possible.

5. Immediately end the sale of synthetic pesticide products from both their garden and pet care ranges in their stores and online, and increase the offer of non-chemical alternatives. Stop selling biocidal products (such as ant and cockroach sprays and powders) which contain active substances classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides.

6. Become more transparent about pesticides by making a range of information publicly available and easily accessible, including but not limited to:

Detailed results of their residue testing programme for the past three years.
The company’s pesticide policy, including plans for pesticide reduction.
Lists of specific pesticides (active substances) which the company monitors, restricts, prohibits and/or has identified as a priority for phase out.
Case studies of best practice by suppliers to reduce pesticide use and adopt non-chemical alternatives.