Garden centres have finished bottom of a league table detailing the efforts of retailers to phase out peat and save rare species, a survey for London's Deputy Mayor shows.

Top of the table, compiled with the support of the RSPB and Friends of the Earth, are DIY stores. B&Q is in pole position as the only outlet making significant progress towards reducing peat products, such as compost, with peat-free alternatives often made from recycled materials.

Supermarkets Asda and Safeway were just off the bottom having failed to significantly reduce use of peat-based products available for growing lettuce and other edible crops, and pot plants. Marks and Spencer headed the supermarkets, which filled the table's middle ground.

Results, based on a questionnaire, show that many retailers are paying no more than lip service to government targets for eliminating peat use in garden products.

The survey particularly targeted DIY stores and garden centres because gardeners account for two-thirds of peat sales.

Ministers want peat in growing media reduced by 40 per cent by 2005 and by 90 per cent by the end of the decade. Most outlets surveyed have already said they will meet these targets.

Consumer choice and success in achieving targets were amongst scoring criteria. Wyevale, the UK's biggest garden centre chain, failed to score at all and Notcutts did not respond, say the Friends of the Earth.

The RSPB and Friends of the Earth expressed their frustration at the findings of the study, which was conducted by the Deputy Mayor of London, Jenny Jones.

Olly Watts, Environmental Policy Officer at the RSPB said: "Specialist garden centres are ignoring one of the biggest issues in their own backyard. The zero scores of the garden outlets surveyed put them to shame, particularly compared with the fine efforts of B&Q and other DIY outlets.”

"Peatlands are amongst the most important wildlife sites in Europe and by continuing to buy peat-based products, gardeners are putting rare wildlife at risk and sentencing these areas to a slow and lingering death."

Craig Bennett, Peat Campaigner for Friends of the Earth said: "It is very disappointing that some of the country's biggest retailers have failed to take this issue seriously, despite pressure from the government.”

"Peat is a vital and precious wildlife habitat, but because stores such as Asda and Tesco still rely on it as a growing material, it remains under threat. We welcome the progress made by some retailers in their plans to eliminate peat, but call on the government to act to hold companies accountable for their impacts on the environment. This example shows that voluntary action by a few is not enough. Regulation is required."