After multiple disclosures, thanks to Greenpeace’s investigations, garden centres like the Dutch market leader Intratuin took precautions and set goals for themselves with a view to banning all pesticides toxic to bees.

Unfortunately, it appears that very little progress has been made and new investigations revealed that the number of toxic pesticides found had barely declined. To address this major problem in the horticulture sector, governments and the EU in particular should close the loopholes in the existing restrictions on imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin, ban their use in greenhouses and ensure there are policies in place to ensure that all pesticides identified as harmful are not permitted in any type of horticulture.

This would not only protect the bees, but also the consumers who buy products at these stores and centres, since they are unwitting accomplices in contaminating the environment with pesticides and putting bees at risk by buying flowers and plants for their gardens and balconies.