Sipcam urges retailers to stock up on natural slug and snail controls to meet demand ahead of metaldehyde ban

Leading supplier of natural and organic garden products, Sipcam, is urging garden retailers to stock up on its environmentally-friendly slug controls, to ensure stores can meet demand when the government’s ban on metaldehyde slug pellets comes into force this summer.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has given retailers just six months to stop selling metaldehyde, as fears grow over its impact on wildlife and the environment. After metaldehyde disappears from shelves in mid-summer, consumers will have 12 months to use up existing supplies. The government has said that outdoor use of metaldehyde must end by spring 2020.

The team behind the popular ecofective® brand, which pioneers eco-friendly plant protection products, warned that metaldehyde will vanish from garden centre shelves on 30th June 2019, a point in the season when slugs and snails risk causing extensive damage unless effectively controlled, with plants especially at risk if summer weather conditions are damp and humid.

Sipcam’s Matthew Jones said: “Environmentally-friendly slug control products are a key growth area for retailers. The withdrawal of metaldehyde in just six months’ time is expected to generate significant demand for innovative natural solutions that effectively control slugs and snails without putting wildlife or the environment at risk. The new RHS Slug Killer and ecofective® Slug Defence will plug the gap in the market left by metaldehyde, offering highly effective slug and snail controls that consumers can use with confidence to protect plants from damage.”

With slugs and snails featuring prominently in the Royal Horticultural Society’s top 10 list of the UK’s worst plant pests in recent years, ecofective® has a host of innovative products to help consumers protect plants from the devastation wreaked by molluscs.

New RHS Slug Killer is an effective slug and snail control that’s approved for organic growing. It contains a naturally-derived ingredient called ferric phosphate, while pellets are rain-resistant and suitable for use around flowers, fruit and vegetables. Once positioned in moist areas, pellets soak-up water and swell, making them even more appealing for slugs to eat. After taking the bait, slugs stop feeding and move away from the area.

ecofective® Slug Defence creates a physical barrier around edible and non-edible plants. Long-lasting, non-toxic granules deter slugs and snails from reaching plants throughout the growing season. Child, pet and bee-friendly, the product has been developed from naturally-derived ingredients that do not turn spongy when wet. Instead, granules dry out quickly and remain just as effective – unlike other clay repellents which degrade with rain and watering. Slug Defence can be used to create an even layer in pots and containers, or in borders as a 2cm high barrier around the stems of vulnerable plants. And at the end of the season, the granules can simply be dug into garden soil where they will assist with drainage.

ecofective® also has an impressive portfolio of natural weedkillers to cater for the UK’s growing band of gardeners who are keen to tackle weeds without resorting to chemicals. Demand for natural weedkillers is being driven by controversy over glyphosate, the active ingredient in many chemical weedkillers, as debate rages over its impact on the environment. Green groups continue to campaign for the controversial chemical to be banned. ecofective®’s glyphosate-free weedkillers are used by many local authorities across the UK, with fast-acting products available for domestic gardens, too.

WeedBlast is a ready-to-use, fast-acting weedkiller for use on borders, patios, paths and driveways. This essential gardening must-have is formulated from natural ingredients, making it kinder to the environment than conventional chemical weedkillers. It offers visible results within 24 hours and, crucially, the product is not temperature-reliant, meaning it can be used all year-round as long as frost isn’t present. The formula is harmless to children, pets and wildlife once dry, leaving the treated area safe to be seeded or planted 24 hours after application. 1-litre provides up to 35 square metres of coverage while 4-litres offers up to 140 square metres of coverage.

ecofective®’s Weed + Moss Killer is another essential weapon in the gardeners’ armoury in the battle against weeds. Its dual action formula tackles weeds as well as moss and algae, controlling unwanted intruders from invading hard surfaces such as paths and patios. Weed + Moss Killer contains acetic acid and a patented co-formulation of natural ingredients which work together to efficiently burn weeds and moss, providing visible results after just 24 hours. It can be used all year-round, as long as no frost is present, and is harmless to children, pets and wildlife once dry. 1-litre provides up to 35 square metres of coverage, while 4-litres offers up to 140 square metres of coverage.

Find out more

To find out more about the full ecofective® range from Sipcam please visit www.ecofective.uk.com.

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For more information, interviews or images please contact the Sipcam UK PR Team:

Kimberley Hornby, Tel: 07851 610573, Email: kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk

Marc Rosenberg, Tel: 07931 645170,      Email: marc@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

About Sipcam UK & ecofective®

ecofective® is part of the Sipcam Group, one of the world’s top 20 agricultural suppliers and the only Italian company in the business of global crop protection.

The family-owned group - with an annual turnover in excess of €500million - has a very impressive research and development capability, and through collaborations with universities and specialist research facilities is pioneering bio-technology to produce market leading control products, nutrients and bio-stimulants which will be key for the future of food production as conventional chemical technology becomes less available.

Sipcam is now in the exciting process of making the best of its professional technology available to the amateur gardener. It has much to offer today, and with an exciting pipeline of product developments still to come will be a key part of the EU retail marketplace moving forward.

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Editors notes

Comprising a uniquely collaborative network of senior PR professionals based at offices around England, Hornby Whitefoot PR has helped a wide range of companies and brands to communicate their news, build business and reposition their reputations since 2015. From strategy to tactics, project management to copy-writing, Hornby Whitefoot PR offers flexible, proactive public relations expertise, founded on real business and marcomms understanding. And our ‘open book’, annual budget or project-based approach – with no murky retainers to hide behind – means you can trust us to make your money go further. Specialisms include the garden, home and lifestyle sector, and the automotive aftermarket industry.