The Trading Standards Service monitors the labelling and contents of fertilisers through visits to trade premises and a sampling and analysis programme. The EC Fertilisers (Scotland) Regulations 2006 lay down conditions with respect to content and marking of packaging.
We take samples of fertilisers (supplied for agriculture and garden use) which are submitted to the Public Analyst for testing. The tests ensure that fertilisers comply with relevant legislation and that the declared levels of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are present within permitted tolerances.
Any discrepancies between the declared and actual content are subsequently investigated.