Overview

• Arbtech says fixed penalties typically ranging from £100 to £300 can be issued for picking in prohibited places, regardless of how much is taken.
• Under the Theft Act 1968, people may gather wild fruit, fungi, foliage and flowers for personal use provided they do not uproot plants or sell the harvest.
• Foraging is barred by bylaws in Sites of Special Scientific Interest, nature reserves and some Royal Parks, and entering private land without permission can be trespass.
• Experts warn that stripping hedgerows or trampling vegetation harms ecosystems and, in some cases, may amount to a criminal offence.
• The guidance, issued ahead of the August to early October season, urges modest picking, avoiding polluted spots such as busy roadsides, and washing fruit before eating.