Britain’s biggest garden centre chain has warned that green regulations backed by Ed Miliband could leave it facing millions of pounds in extra costs.
Alan Roper, managing director of Blue Diamond, which runs 54 sites across the UK, criticised Labour’s climate plans and said they are being pushed without enough regard for business pressures.
He accused Mr Miliband of treating Net Zero as a “personal achievement project”, arguing that the reality for companies is far more difficult. “We’ve started to seriously look at the costs now… it’s going to be seven figures — you’re talking millions,” he said.
The concern focuses on planned Net Zero rules that would tighten Energy Performance Certificate requirements for commercial buildings by 2031. Mr Roper said this would be especially tough for garden centres like Blue Diamond, which rely heavily on glasshouse structures that are expensive and hard to upgrade to meet insulation standards.
He also questioned why firms are being pushed towards costly compliance while the UK continues importing expensive gas from abroad. “Why is it okay for us to buy gas at hugely expensive prices when we could be getting the balance right by drilling oil and gas?” he said.
Mr Roper added that the UK’s overall contribution to global emissions is small. “We’re one per cent of the world’s emissions. What are we trying to prove?” he said.
His criticism also extended to wider Labour policies, including higher employer National Insurance and above-inflation rises to the minimum wage, which he called “horrendous” and “completely the wrong decision”.
He claimed the combined impact of tax and wage changes has already cut Blue Diamond’s profits by more than £12 million over four years.
He also attacked the Employment Rights Act 2025, which introduced statutory sick pay from day one of illness, saying it would make it easier for staff to call in sick without proper reason.
Despite the pressures, the company has continued to grow. Blue Diamond’s turnover rose 19% to £395 million in 2025, while pre-tax profits climbed 44% to £31.4 million. Sales have also increased by almost 90% over the past five years.
Mr Roper said global shipping disruption, linked to tensions in the Middle East, was adding further cost pressure for retailers. Container prices, which had dropped back to around $2,000 after peaking at $15,000 during the pandemic, have recently risen again to between $3,500 and $4,000.
He warned these rising costs cannot be absorbed forever. “We’re now having to look at our pricing because we can’t absorb it,” he said. “The consumer always ends up having to pay — otherwise, businesses go out of business.”
