Bin the plastic grass! A quarter of Britons now want fake lawns banned

Almost a quarter of Britons would be happy to support a full ban on the sale of fake plastic lawns.

Having a fake lawn fitted can seem appealing to weary homeowners – it means no pushing the lawnmower around and a consistent appearance.

But Britons have been turning their back on fake grass in recent years, with research revealing that demand for fake lawn installations fell 48 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

More than half of households would never have one installed in their own garden, according to a survey from tradesperson website Mybuilder.com.

Not buying it: Bristol is the city in the UK the most in support of a ban, while those in Newcastle are the least bothered by fake lawns

Meanwhile a third of those surveyed think measures should be put in place to limit the use of plastic lawns for environmental reasons.

The average cost for installation of a fake lawn in an average size garden is between £1,200 to £2,500, Mybuilder.com said.

‘One of my biggest regrets at that time’

Victor Bryan, an estate agent from Buckinghamshire, has had an artificial lawn installed. He told This is Money it was a major regret.

The problems with his fake lawn began in the summer.

He tells us: ‘A fake lawn is fine in the winter when you’re not using the garden but it’s a different story in the summer. If you have dogs, the biggest pitfall is the smell of urine which lingers on the fake grass – in the summer the smell was horrendous. 

‘It got to a point where it was embarrassing if we had friends over in the garden.

‘When it was really hot it wasn’t comfortable on your feet – I had to cut across the lawn to walk across to my garage which was uncomfortable. 

‘If you have a small child, and it’s not nice for them to walk on as it gets almost sticky in the heat.

‘The drainage isn’t the greatest on artificial lawns either – it’s not as good as grass. If you have a sloping garden it doesn’t drain away as quickly as it should. 

‘When I was emptying the paddling pool, it used to run towards my garage wall. I would never do it again.

Grass not always greener: Britons are increasingly turning their backs on artificial lawns

‘I chose to get it done and I paid the £3,000 to have it installed, which was one of my biggest regrets at that time. 

‘We sold our property but I would have had it removed if we had remained there. I wouldn’t get it again.’

Bryan added: ‘I would support a ban on artificial lawns purely based on it not being a good option in the hot summers we get if you have a young child, and for safety reasons of it being too hot on their feet.

‘One of my friends was interested in getting one and asked for my thoughts on them – I told him just don’t do it.’

Parts of the UK which hate fake grass the most

Wales is the country the most offended by fake lawns, with a third of people who live there saying a full ban should be put in place. In Northern Ireland only 18 per cent felt the same.

In terms of cities, Bristol is the city in the UK which hates fake grass the most – with 38 per cent stating they would welcome a ban on it. Cardiff was right behind with 36 percent agreeing with a ban.

In Edinburgh, 29 per cent support a ban, and traditionally ‘green’ Brighton saw a 27 per cent vote for a ban.

Newcastle doesn’t seem as bothered by fake grass, with just 9 per cent of people there stating they would support a ban.

Expert landscaper James Lewis, who works with MyBuilde, said recent negativity about artificial grass in the media – plus the Welsh Government’s attempt to introduce a ban – have caused the public to start to turn against it.

Lewis says: ‘I’m not surprised to see these results, and it certainly seems that more people are deciding against installing artificial grass in their garden.

‘While it’s not for everyone, and there are some obvious concerns for its ‘green’ credentials, there are still benefits to having an artificial lawn.

‘If you are thinking about it, we’d advise you to carefully weigh up the pros and cons before investing in it.’

The pros and cons of fake lawns

Pros

1. Low maintenance

No mowing, no watering, no reseeding – there’s no doubt that an artificial lawn is easier to look after than a natural one.

2. Can look good all year round

A fake lawn won’t get any brown spots, bald patches, or muddy puddles, which can all plague normal grass. It will maintain its appearance with little maintenance. 

Cons

1. Cost to buy and install

Buying and installing your artificial lawn is likely to cost several thousand pounds. 

2.  Can get too hot

As Bryan experienced, artificial lawns can get too hot for little feet and paws, causing blistering and burns. 

Vets from Joii Pet Care have also recently warned owners that artificial grass can be perilous for pets, and advised caution when allowing pets onto it.

3. Poor drainage 

An artificial lawn does not drain as well as a real one. This can cause issues in areas where flooding is a problem, such as in new build estates built on previous flood plains, or in areas close to bodies of water. It’s also bad news for paddling pools in the summer months. 

4. Impact on natural habitat

Removing natural grass harms the environment and causes habitat loss for bugs, plants and wildlife.