Vol. 7, Issue 3 | September 2015
Pesticide Sales: The End is Near
By Christiane Weiller
The French parliament voted last summer a law named “transition énergétique” which brings new and important changes for French garden centers in regards to the pesticides/fertilizers category.
As of January 2017 these products will only be available for sale behind the counter (or in locked cupboards). Self-service will be completely banned except for bio-pesticides. Garden centers only have one year to comply with this new rule by adjusting their corresponding aisles and building counters.
Furthermore the same law also advances the complete ban on sales of chemical pesticides to 2019.
To prepare for these new constraints, garden center chain stores have been working for several months on the design of their pesticide aisles to emphasize use of bio-control and organic products. They are introducing so called “Plant pharmacies” where chemical treatments are sold only over the counter with advice from experienced sales employees and where other treatments, bio-control or organic, remain available in self-service. This means:
– Physical separation of chemical products, bio-control products, low-risk products and products used in organic farming
– Construction of a counter where a certified salesman can inform customers who wish to buy chemicals
– An important training agenda for sales employees who have to be able to diagnose plant diseases and guide gardeners toward natural solutions
I’d like to use this occasion to thank IGCA members who answered our survey about pesticide sales methods in their country.
Christiane Weiller
Fédération Nationale des Métiers de la Jardinerie
