Sainsbury’s has become the first UK supermarket to launch peat-free mushrooms.
Conventional mushroom crop production currently relies on the use of peat, a natural carbon-rich resource that takes thousands of years to grow in wetland ecosystems.
The change in mushroom production has been developed in partnership with supplier Monaghan, and will reduce peat usage by 20,465 tonnes per year.
It also reduces the carbon intensity of mushroom production and leaves peat in the ground, which will help protect nature and get the retailer one step closer to its Net zero goals, it said.
Sainsbury’s customers will be able to spot ‘grown without peat’ on By Sainsbury’s mushroom packaging in over 200 stores across the country from this month.
They will be first available in the White Closed Cup (300g) and White Baby Button (200g) variants.
“At Sainsbury’s, we’re committed to playing our part in enabling and driving a resilient and sustainable food system, including protecting nature and reducing carbon to net zero,” said Richard Crampton, director of fresh food at Sainsbury’s. “Our new peat-free mushrooms will help us to get another step closer to achieving these goals in our supply chain.”
Mushrooms are typically grown in two layers of material – first a layer of natural compost and then a layer of peat. The latter plays a key role in the yield and quality of the mushrooms, making it difficult to replace.
Instead of using peat, Sainsbury’s new mushrooms are grown with a sustainable substrate made from recycled natural materials.
“We’re proud to be the first supermarket in the UK to bring peat-free mushrooms to our customers, who want easy ways to make more responsible choices when buying food, without compromising on quality,” added Crampton. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the work of our partner Monaghan, which spent 10 years coming up with the alternative.”
Noel Hegarty, chief commercial officer at Monaghan, said: “Although mushrooms already have a low carbon footprint in comparison to other foods, we want to take this further with our journey to net zero. Peat-free mushrooms are a huge step forward with that ambition.”
Peat is a vital material for maintaining the earth’s climate, and the removal of it can lead to the destruction of wetland ecosystems and take decades to recover.
Peatlands also provide critical habitats for many rare, threatened or declining animal and plant species. It also has a significant ability to retain water, and improve both soil and water quality.
“This is a significant step towards protecting our peatlands, which are vital for biodiversity and climate resilience,” said Karl Mitchell, director of fundraising at the Woodland Trust. “Peatland restoration is an important part of our work at the Woodland Trust, and our 20-year partnership with Sainsbury’s has been instrumental in making a positive impact on our sites.”
Sainsbury’s is also launching vitamin D-enhanced white mushrooms, delivering 170 million portions of mushrooms enriched with the vitamin every year. This comes following the success of the launch of vitamin-enhanced chestnut mushrooms in 2018. The latest offering means Sainsbury’s has the biggest range of vitamin D-enriched mushrooms in the UK.
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