B&Q

How ethical is B&Q?

B&Q is a home improvement and garden retailer which has achieved The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Garden Suppliers Ratings Table. With a score of 77 out of 100, B&Q demonstrates a commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices across several criteria, though two areas present opportunities for improvement.

B&Q has not yet received The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation, an editorial endorsement awarded to brands which achieve a high ethical score across our multi-criteria assessment. Receiving this endorsement would strengthen the brand’s standing as a recognised ethical choice for consumers in the garden suppliers sector.

What does B&Q do?

B&Q is the UK’s largest home improvement and garden retailer, owned by Kingfisher Plc. The brand operates around 300 stores across the UK and Ireland, supplying plants, seeds, compost, garden tools, outdoor furniture, and garden care products to home gardeners and DIY customers. Kingfisher Plc operates additional retail brands across Europe, including Castorama, Brico Dépôt, and Screwfix.

Why does B&Q perform well ethically?

B&Q achieves good ratings across several criteria assessed by The GOOD Shopping Guide. Notably, the brand receives a good rating for peat free status, reflecting its commitment to selling only peat-free compost — a meaningful step for a retailer operating at the scale of B&Q. The brand also receives good ratings for environmental reporting and fossil fuels, and achieves good ratings for armaments, irresponsible marketing, and political donations, with no documented public record criticisms.

What could improve B&Q’s ethical positioning?

B&Q receives a poor rating for animal welfare. For a garden retailer supplying products used in and around gardens and outdoor spaces, animal welfare — including the impact of garden care products on pollinators and wildlife — is a meaningful concern. Strengthening animal welfare commitments across the full range of garden care products sold by B&Q and its parent company Kingfisher Plc would address this gap and bring the animal welfare rating in line with the positive environmental performance demonstrated elsewhere. Consumers seeking guidance on garden products and pollinators may wish to consider this rating when making purchasing decisions.

B&Q’s packaging rating is acceptable rather than good, indicating further room for improvement across the packaging standards applied to its product range.

Obtaining The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation would provide editorial recognition of B&Q’s ethical standards and make it easier for consumers to identify the brand as an editorially endorsed choice in the garden suppliers sector.

Consumers seeking garden suppliers with stronger overall ethical credentials are encouraged to consult our Ethical Garden Suppliers Ratings Table to compare alternatives. Our how we rate page explains the criteria used to assess all brands in this sector.