Neonicotinoids are in use again in the UK. These bee disrupting chemicals were banned here and in Europe but for the past four years ‘emergency’ licenses have been granted to the sugar industry by the UK government. Beet sugar growers, many of whom initially found other ways to grow their sugar, are now using bee killers. Research in 2023 showed 10% of rivers in England have traces of these chemicals. 

Thiamethoxam is lethal - even a miniscule trace of this toxin can disrupt a bee’s ability to navigate and reproduce, significantly reducing the chance of survival. With a third of UK food crops pollinated by insects, and their contribution to the UK economy estimated at hundreds of millions of pounds per year - our food system cannot function without bees.  

Silver Spoon sugar is British sugar made from beet. Let’s put pressure on Silver Spoon Sugar and the UK government to meet their environmental commitments and ban Thiamethoxam forever.