The Honey
Actual Honey is a statement: what's in the jar is exactly what the label says.
Is your honey actual honey?
The name “Actual Honey” was inspired by a shocking report in 2023: all ten samples of UK honey tested in a European Commission investigation failed its authenticity checks. I wanted to package the honey I produce with a label that says what the contents actually are.
The constant pressure to drive down the price of honey has led to adulteration, which cheats the consumer and undercuts local beekeepers.
Why buy local?
In 2023 there were more than 49,000 registered beekeepers in the UK, with 252,577 colonies of bees. Buying local honey helps those beekeepers to:
- Buy and maintain hives and equipment
- Pay for medication to keep their bees healthy
- Cover fuel to travel to and from their apiaries
- Replace bees lost to weather or disease
- Fund local association membership
- Buy books, go on courses and pay exam fees
- Hire or buy extraction equipment, jars and labels
- Get a coffee or a beer once in a while, to thank them for their hard work!
…and you get a delicious jar of local honey to enjoy!
Why has my honey set?
Granulation is natural and a sign of real honey. It's easy to make it runny again.
Read: What do I do if my Actual Honey has granulated? →National Honey Monitoring Scheme
Actual Honey is submitted to the NHMS every year. Lab analysis of the honey reveals the health of the countryside around the hives.
See our results →