Pukka Herbs marks Organic September with celebration of decade-long Eden Project partnership

Pukka Herbs and environmental charity, the Eden Project, are marking Organic September by celebrating 10 years of partnership, as both organisations reach their 25th anniversaries.

Since 2016, the partnership has used educational experiences and storytelling to connect millions of Eden Project visitors with the importance of biodiversity, the power of plants and sustainable sourcing, bringing Pukka’s commitment to people, plants and the planet to life. Through the partnership, Pukka highlights its use of high-quality organic herbs and the Fair for Life and FairWild certifications, which support its efforts to promote fair trade practices and the protection of biodiversity and grower communities.

The anniversary comes as organic moves further into the mainstream, with 83 per cent of British households now buying organic. It also comes at a time when 61 per cent of British adults say they are concerned about the safety of ingredients in everyday products.

Elle Barker, CMO, UK and Ireland at LIPTON Teas and Infusions, which owns Pukka, commented: “As we celebrate Organic September and mark 25 years of Pukka, we’re incredibly proud of our decade-long partnership with the Eden Project. Together, we’ve helped bring the story of herbs, biodiversity and sustainable sourcing to life for millions of visitors. The partnership reflects what Pukka has stood for since day one: creating delicious blends made with high-quality herbs, while helping to protect the communities, plants and ecosystems that make them possible. As expectations around transparency and sustainability continue to grow, we’re committed to ensuring these principles, alongside our Fair for Life and FairWild-certified sourcing standards, remain at the heart of our business.”

Claire Crook, Head of Marketing at the Eden Project, added: “Every cup of tea starts with plants, soil, pollinators and the people who care for them, and that’s a story we’ve been proud to share alongside Pukka Tea for the past decade. Through exhibitions, experiences and storytelling, we’ve helped visitors see the connections between human wellbeing and a thriving natural world. As we both mark our 25th anniversaries, we’re delighted to celebrate a partnership built on a shared belief that people are more likely to protect what they understand and value.”

Meanwhile, Alex Cullen, Commercial and Marketing Director of The Soil Association UK, commented: “We are delighted to see this partnership between an organic brand and one of the UK’s most important ecological projects continue to develop. Organic agriculture is a key part of the UK meeting its climate and nature goals. Furthermore, as Brits grow more concerned about hidden artificial chemicals and confusing labels, new research suggests organic is emerging as a simple, trusted choice for shoppers who want food and other products with greater transparency. Attention-grabbing headlines around contamination in everyday food and drink products with PFAS, glyphosate and artificial pesticides, including some pesticides that are still sprayed on produce in the UK, despite being banned in the EU for health reasons, are no doubt driving more consumers to buy organic, which people recognise as a healthier and safer option. Pukka’s sourcing model is built on long-term relationships with supply partners, farmers, growers and collectors. Agreed pricing, long-term demand visibility and shared investment help support traceability, responsible agricultural practices and resilient farming communities across its fully organic supply chain.”

Organic September kicks off with campaign on UK’s biggest billboard

The Soil Association launched Organic September with a bang by taking over the UK’s largest billboard.

The month-long campaign kicked off yesterday and saw the Soil Association taking over The Manchester Screen, the UK’s largest billboard, to put organic messaging where people can’t miss it.

In its social media post, the Soil Association said: “Because organic isn’t just a label. It’s a different way of farming, producing food and shopping with nature at the heart of it. Organic deserves to be seen. So we’re making it impossible to miss.”

Food brand teams up with independent retailer for Organic September

Mr Organic has announced a takeover with independent retailer, Better Food, as part of its Organic September celebrations.

To celebrate month-long campaign, the organic brand has partnered with Bristol-based Better Food, to do a takeover in all four of its stores. Mr Organic has also brought Bristol-based chef and influencer, Elly Pear (pictured) on board to create a dish that will be featured on the menu using Mr Organic products. The chef, who used to run a café in Bristol for eight years, has created her twist on a puttanesca, and Better Food will feature her chickpea ‘Puttanesca’ style salad in all its cafes. This salad contains Mr Organic’s Chopped Tomatoes, Red Lentil Rice, and their Chickpeas and Cannellini Beans in jars.

The Italian organic brand is looking to encourage customers to ‘Grab Some Organic’ this Organic September by reconnecting customers with organic food, sharing inspirational recipes, and their farm story.

The partnership with Better Food aligns perfectly, since the retailer’s founder, Phil Haughton, shares the same strong passion for sustainable, organic food. When Haughton was just 14 years old, his mother gifted him a Soil Association subscription. He started farming organically in a community in Scotland in 1974 before working on a City Farm in Bristol in 1981. Haughton started his own organic veg box scheme called Phil’s Better Food Campaign in 1992 and in 2002, opened the first Better Food brick-and-mortar store as a one-stop organic shop.

Valerio Simonetti, Mr Organic founder and third-generation tomato producer, commented: “We are proud to partner with Better Food this Organic September. With both of us sharing the same vision for wanting to make healthy, organic food accessible, we look forward to making a collective impact for Organic September. We hope that everyone who visits the cafes enjoy the special recipe that Elly Pear has created using Mr Organic’s products and will be inspired to make the switch to organic food that is better for our bodies and better for the planet.”

Data revealing Scottish organic land in growth described as encouraging

A new report revealing organic land area in Scotland has grown 28 per cent since last year has been described by Government as encouraging evidence of the growing confidence in organic farming.

Minister for Agriculture, Jim Fairlie, was commenting on publication of the Organic Farming In Scotland 2025 report, which has shown that in Scotland, the total organic land area (in-conversion and fully organic) was 168,200 hectares, a 28 per cent increase compared with 2024, and a 62 per cent increase compared with 2021.

Fairlie commented: “These new statistics show that the amount of land being farmed as organic in Scotland has seen a 62 per cent increase since 2021. This represents 3.3 per cent of Scotland’s total agricultural area. This is encouraging evidence of the growing confidence in organic farming across Scotland, and we are seeing strong progress in a sector that delivers benefits for our environment, biodiversity, animal welfare, and rural economy.

“Particularly significant is the sharp rise in land entering conversion, around double the area compared with 2024. This demonstrates that more farmers and crofters are recognising the opportunities organic production can offer and are investing in a sustainable future for their businesses. Scotland has a strong reputation for producing high-quality food and drink, and our organic sector plays an important role in strengthening that reputation at home and abroad. These figures highlight the commitment of Scotland’s producers to meeting growing consumer demand while supporting our wider climate and nature ambitions.”

The statistics covers organic land area, land use, livestock and operators in Scotland. The results are produced from data compiled by approved organic certification bodies and provides an overview of the results of the organic farming data for Scotland based on data compiled by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Sustainability praise as Salt of the Earth receives King’s Award

Salt of the Earth has been awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its sustainability efforts.

The Hampshire based manufacturer of natural deodorants has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026, a prestigious honour recognising companies at the forefront of sustainable product innovation and manufacturing. The award marks the brand’s second King’s Award in two years, following its 2025 recognition for International Trade, which celebrated the company’s strong export growth.

Thomas Laird, MD and co-owner of Salt of the Earth, commented: “We’re incredibly proud to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. It’s a real honour and a testament to the hard work of our team and our long-standing commitment to doing business in a more sustainable way. Driving greater sustainability across our factory and brand isn’t just central to our ethos – it’s also a commercially sound decision. One example is our recent investment in 126 solar panels, which are designed to generate more electricity annually than our factory consumes, with the surplus exported to the grid. In a volatile energy market, this strengthens our resilience and helps us manage costs more effectively – benefits we can ultimately pass on to our customers.”

Salt of the Earth has been at the forefront of sustainable product innovation since launching the UK’s first refillable spray deodorant system in 2013, six years ahead of major competitors. Today, the company offers one of the widest ranges of refillable natural deodorants globally, spanning sprays, roll-ons and sticks. Its refill systems use up to 85 per cent less plastic than single use alternatives and have replaced the equivalent of over 2.3 million plastic bottles since launch. Since 2021 alone, these refill innovations have prevented 23.66 tonnes of plastic waste, demonstrating how circular design can deliver both environmental and commercial success.

Furthermore, most products are manufactured in-house at the company’s Hampshire facility, where operations have run on renewable electricity since 2020. The business has recently invested in 126 solar panels, alongside air source heat pump technology to further reduce its environmental impact. These initiatives support the company’s ambition to become electricity-positive by 2027, generating more electricity than it uses. All UK manufactured products are certified 100 per cent COSMOS Natural by the Soil Association and approved by the Vegan Society and Cruelty Free International, ensuring natural origin ingredients, no animal derived materials and responsible sourcing. Alongside this, its partnership with Ecologi has funded the planting of over 13,447 trees since 2020.