Brits given warning about eating British roast dinner
A warning has been issued over the dinner time staple, particularly the vegetables included in the meal.
Brits have been issued a roast dinner warning following the release of new research. The data shows that a typical roast dinner could have been produced with more than 100 pesticides, with some linked to cancer and the harming of wildlife.
Analysis by Greenpeace found 102 unique pesticides on vegetables commonly eaten as part of a roast, including onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, peas, swede and turnips. Of these, onions and leaks were treated with 43 different pesticides while carrots and parsnips were treated with 40. Field potatoes came next with 31, peas with 29, and swede and turnips with 20. Meanwhile, seven of the 102 pesticides have already been banned in the EU due to potential health impacts.
Nina Schrank, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "A Sunday roast and strawberries might feel like one of the most natural and traditionally British meals imaginable, but behind the scenes they’re produced using an astonishing cocktail of pesticides.
"Our countryside is being drenched in pesticides, with devastating consequences for bees, birds, butterflies, rivers and the soil. Fields that once hummed with wildlife are falling silent while agrochemical giants rake in enormous profits, and farmers are trapped in a costly cycle of chemical dependency. That doesn’t strengthen food security – it makes it more fragile."
The data is being used by the Government’s advisory committee on pesticide residues (PRiF). The seven pesticides, classed as highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), banned in the EU have been linked to cancer, harm to bees, birds, mammals and aquatic ecosystems.
Greenpeace is warning that the intensive pesticide and fertiliser use is putting public health and wildlife at risk. They can take centuries to break down and are known as "forever chemicals".
In March 2025, the government published the UK Pesticides National Action Plan. It set out a 10-year strategy to reduce the impacts of pesticides, including a 10% reduction in environmental harm by 2030.
As well as tighter regulations on pesticide use, the Government is also pushing for Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This will encourage the use of non-chemical solutions, such as crop rotation and natural predators, rather than chemical pesticides.
It comes as farmers across the UK continue to struggle with soaring expenses. Fuel, fertiliser and feed have all contributed towards the "cost of farming crisis" this year, with many struggling to make a profit.
