Hereford-based garden centre chain Wyevale has announced it is to stop selling a raft of environmentally unfriendly but lucrative products at its range of outlets.

The products include gas and electric-powered out-door patio heaters, which alone account for more than £250,000 a year in turnover for the group.

The move follows a review of the garden centre's business by sustainability advisor, Dr Alan Knight.

The group said it would not stock "eco-unfriendly" heaters and would phase out at least 90 per cent of its peat and peat-based growing products within the next three years as part of a new green agenda for its 108 stores, which include Albrighton, Bournville, Coventry, Rugby, Shenstone, Stratford-upon-Avon, Telford and Wolseley Bridges.

Wyevale is understood to be the only major garden-equipment retailer in the UK to make the move, timed to coincide with the Easter weekend - the start of the traditional season for selling garden products.

The group has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2010 and is reviewing its entire product range to ensure that its carbon footprint is reduced.

Wyevale is currently preparing a detailed proposal document, and will enter a period of consultation with customers, suppliers and interested environmental groups during the summer. Once this has been completed, the company said its intention was to launch a plan of action in the autumn.

Chairman Jim Hodkinson said: "I am delighted that, with Alan Knight's advice, we have been able rapidly to agree some core principles which recognise the importance of social and environ-mental issues to our business.

"This demonstrates our serious intent in establishing and adhering to a meaningful green agenda to guide our future development.

"It will also allow us to further improve our value proposition to customers, by only bringing products to the market which are sustainable, responsibly sourced and affordable."

Dr Knight said that as the market leader in the garden centre sector, and a retail business with obvious and long standing connections with horticulture and the natural world, Wyevale was in a special position to show a strong lead on sustainability issues.

Friends of the Earth has backed the initiative and called on other stores to follow Wyevale's lead and call time on items such as gas and electric powered heaters.

The pressure group said that although the patio heaters were popular, they were extremely energy inefficient.