Pesticide use in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Pesticide use was 16,983 tonnes in 2023. ▼ Falling
Pesticide use in United Kingdom, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for pesticide use in United Kingdom is 16,983 tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in United Kingdom peaked at 35,579 tonnes in 1996 and was at its lowest, 14,794 tonnes, in 2021.
That places United Kingdom 31st out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33,170 tonnes | 29,022 tonnes | 35,579 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 27,815 tonnes | 21,324 tonnes | 33,031 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 19,623 tonnes | 16,601 tonnes | 24,427 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,946 tonnes | 14,794 tonnes | 16,983 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
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Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in United Kingdom?
- Pesticide use in United Kingdom was 16,983 tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest pesticide use recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 35,579 tonnes in 1996.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,794 tonnes in 2021.
- How does United Kingdom rank for pesticide use?
- United Kingdom ranks 31st out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Pesticide use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total pesticide use measured in tonnes of pesticide consumption per year.