The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Store condemned over selling peat
Perthshire luxury outdoor superstore The House of Bruar is damaging the environment with its ownbrand peat sales, it has been claimed.
Conservation expert Sarah Watts has criticised the business for its “Natural Scottish Peat” product, sold for fuel.
Healthy peat bogs are essential to support birds, plants and insects. They also capture carbon dioxide, helping the fight against climate change.
Sarah is an expert in ecology and woodland restoration.
“Shame on you, House of Bruar, for encouraging and contributing to the degradation of our peatland habitats,” she said.
“Peat extraction for fuel or horticultural purposes is contributing to the degradation of a key Scottish habitat, which is vitally important for biodiversity and our fight against climate change.”
Customers have emailed the shop’s management team to complain after Sarah posted pictures of the fuel for sale on her social media accounts.
Staff had arranged the white sacks of “natural Aberdeenshire peat” into a prominent display, each printed with “specially packed for The House of Bruar”.
Shoppers could pay £12.95 per bag or take away two for £20.
The UK Government has banned the sale of peat for gardening in England by 2024 and the Scottish Government is consulting on a similar move.
Sarah said degraded peatlands worsen climate change.
“The issue here is about much more than just (The) House of Bruar and what one business is doing,” she said.
“My advice would be for our government to support people who rely on peat as a fuel to transition away from using it towards sustainable alternatives.”
Patrick Birkbeck, managing director of The House of Bruar said: “We have had three people email in yesterday and today expressing their disappointment.”
Patrick said that the peat which they sell is for use as fuel, not gardening.
He added: “If (only) people could understand the miniscule scale of the fuel peat industry.
“We are big believers in the customer will make the choice.
“If nobody wants to buy peat, fundamentally, then we won’t sell peat.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said they had a number of schemes to support people to use sustainable heating.