Companies trading off the back of the ‘grow-your-own’ phenomenon have been exposed as charging vastly over the cost price.
Grow-your-own carrots have been withdrawn after consumer groups pointed out that people were being charged 100 times more than they need to on the vegetables.
An investigation by Which? Gardening found that starter packs for novice gardeners, driven to grow their own vegetables in order to save money and cut food miles during the recession, are in fact more expensive than buying the food at the supermarket.
According to the report, one company, Gardening Direct, sold carrot plug plants for £1.09 each. The plants produced one carrot each, despite the fact it would cost just over 10p to grow the carrots from seed.
Gardening Direct also sold beetroot starter packs at the same price, producing one plant each, even though four fresh beetroot can be bought in the supermarket for under £1.
The company has now withdrawn the Autumn King carrot plugs and the beetroot plugs.
Mark Sherwood, marketing manager, said: “While we believe that our premium-quality plug plants normally represent outstanding value for money, we do not wish to mislead gardeners in any way, nor be perceived as being poor value for money.”
Ceri Thomas, editor of Which? Gardening, said: “£1.09 for a carrot is definitely not value for money! Carrot seed is really cheap to buy and very easy to grow - even for novice gardeners.”
Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium, told freshinfo: “UK consumers can enjoy an abundance of healthy, affordable fresh produce all year round at its best from around the world, available from local markets, wholesalers and retailers. Those of us who aren’t inclined to go through the pain of growing our own veg should be reassured that the fresh produce industry ensures that we don’t have to, or pay through the nose for it. “
Last year, journalist Janet Street-Porter shared her experience of tackling the realities of the fashion to grow your own, sharing with her readers the “painful work and hours” experienced in trying to grow her own vegetables, and her frustrations in dealing with the weather, pests and disappointing harvest.
She said: “Once you succumb to growing vegetables, accept that it’s completely addictive - and will entail hours of toil (no matter what Monty and his mates say) and plenty of heartbreak... Let’s lay a couple of myths to rest: it’s no bloody cheaper to grow your own, despite what the experts tell you and it completely does your head in.”
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