Waitrose’s entire UK grower base has committed to help protect British wildlife by planting extra-wide hedgerows on their land, the supermarket has announced.
Producers will grow and maintain the hedgerows, which are used as “corridors” in which to travel and feed by 80 per cent of woodland birds, 50 per cent of mammals and 30 per cent of butterflies.
As a result all of the retailer’s UK-sourced fruit and vegetables will now come from LEAF-certified farms, ensuring they have been farmed responsibly.
Mary Vizoso, head of buying fruit, vegetables and horticulture, said: “Like Waitrose, LEAF is committed to furthering the production of food that has provenance and integrity and is a signpost to customers of the high environmental standards by which produce has been grown.
“Although achieving the LEAF seal of approval for our produce was no easy task for our growers, we are delighted with the enthusiasm with which they embraced this challenge, and brought it to fruition.”
Celebrating the move, Waitrose is airing a television advert in September depicting the diversity of wildlife and flowers left to flourish in the extra-wide field margins left by LEAF-accredited fruit and vegetable growers for Waitrose.
