Today, much of the honey found on supermarket shelves bears little resemblance to genuine honey as nature intended.

An estimated 85% of honey sold in the UK is imported, much of it originating from large-scale industrial production, predominantly in China. It is further reported that around 70% of this honey is adulterated or synthetic, frequently manufactured from sugar syrups and chemical additives rather than produced naturally by bees.

Investigations have found residues of substances banned in the UK and EU, including antibiotics prohibited for food use, and in some cases heavy metals such as Lead and even Arsenic.

In 2023, the European Commission tested commercial honey sold across Europe. Every sample that had been blended or packaged in Britain failed authenticity testing, with sources believed to have originated overseas.

“We didn’t expect to find that all the samples were fake,” said Arturo Carrillo, a member of the investigating team.

The UK is now the largest importer of adulterated Chinese honey, bringing in approximately 47,000 tonnes last year alone.

In contrast, Gun Hill Honey remains exactly as the bees create it — unblended, unheated, and untouched — shaped only by the land, the flowers, and the season in which it is harvested.