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The hydroponics industry in the UK and Europe is under significant pressure. Vertical farms are closing, hydroponic retailers are disappearing, and growers are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny at a time when innovation is desperately needed.
In this blog we highlight a growing regulatory issue surrounding the use of hydrogen peroxide in hydroponic systems, particularly in the Netherlands. The situation raises serious questions about whether current enforcement supports food safety and sustainability, or simply adds unnecessary barriers for growers.
Across the UK and Europe, hydroponic businesses are struggling. In regions such as the Midlands, many hydroponic shops have closed entirely or are no longer trading. Vertical farming ventures, once seen as the future of sustainable agriculture, have collapsed under rising costs, taxation, and regulatory pressure.
While market conditions play a role, regulation, especially around crop protection and system sanitation is increasingly becoming a major obstacle.
Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in hydroponic systems to control:
In a soilless environment, plants release root exudates that feed microbes. Without proper sanitation, these microbes can quickly overwhelm a system and reduce yields.
For this reason, hydrogen peroxide (often silver-stabilised) is a registered biocide commonly used by growers across Europe.
Dutch regulators recently fined growers for continuously micro dosing hydrogen peroxide into irrigation systems. While the product itself is approved, the issue arose because the label specifies one-off treatments, not continuous dosing.
Regulators claimed this practice could result in ‘potentially unsafe tomatoes’ entering the food chain.
Scientifically, this claim does not hold up.
Hydrogen peroxide is extremely reactive. Even when applied directly to crops:
From a food safety perspective, there is no realistic risk of harmful residues reaching consumers.
The enforcement is not about safety — it is about strict adherence to label wording, regardless of real-world outcomes.
This case highlights a broader issue across European agriculture:
America innovates. China replicates. Europe regulates.
Rather than applying common sense or updating outdated rules, regulators often respond by proposing consultations, task forces, and years of policy discussions; all while growers suffer.
Ironically, this enforcement varies by region. Northern European countries tend to apply the letter of the law, while southern Europe often follows the spirit of the law, creating an uneven playing field for growers.
Despite defending its safety, we do not recommend continuous dosing. However, this is primarily for agronomic reasons. This is because continuous use of hydrogen peroxide can:
The best approach is to:
From a plant health and yield perspective, less hydrogen peroxide is better.
While over-regulation is frustrating, not all regulation is harmful. In fact, EU Basic Substance Regulations have enabled innovative companies such as Eutrema to gain a competitive edge; provided they are willing to fully understand the rules.
The real issue isn’t regulation itself, but how it is applied, and whether regulators work with industry rather than against it.
Hydrogen peroxide remains a safe and effective tool in hydroponics when used correctly. The current enforcement in parts of Europe reflects a deeper challenge: balancing food safety, innovation, and practicality.
For the hydroponics industry to survive and thrive, regulators must move beyond rigid interpretations and embrace evidence-based decision-making, before more growers and businesses are lost.
Article by Dr Russell Sharp
If you would like to keep up to date with subjects just like this, you can listen to both our podcasts! Links can be found bellow:
Hydroponics Daily Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hydroponics-daily/id1788172771
Cereal Killers Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cereal-killers/id1695783663