Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question about our products, your order or shipping? Here, we answer the questions we're asked most frequently! If you still can't find the answer to your question then head to our online chat where our customer assistant will help you!
Is your honey raw?
Advertising Standards do not permit the use of the word ‘raw’ for honey. That being said, we take our honey straight from the hive, only ever manually filter it and pack it in line with Organic Standards.
Is your honey organic?
It is not possible in the UK to produce Organic honey from the UK.
This is because the bees fly in a 9-mile radius and there is nowhere large enough to guarantee someone hasn’t used pesticides in their garden/field. All organic honey in the UK has been imported. We have looked into the option of producing organic honey in the Highlands where there are no pesticides for miles around but to obtain Organic status we would need to keep them there all year round and there wouldn’t be enough food for them so we felt the welfare of our bees was more important. Our Scottish Heather honey comes from long, vast heather moors where there are no pesticides and we test all of our honey to ensure that continues to be the case.
What is heather honey?
Scottish Heather honey is honey produced from bees who have had access to the heather moors in Scotland. They take the nectar from the heather and convert it into honey. It has a unique flavour and colour, much more of an amber colour than other local honeys.
Is all the honey you sell harvested from Scotland?
Yes. We have multiple bee farmers working with us in Scotland, some we have given hives too, others already had hives. Our bee farmers work solely in Scotland and take the honey at the end of the season to a BRC and Organic registered packing facility in Perthshire. We run laboratory tests and spot check all of our honeys to ensure it is good quality honey and contains no pesticides or GMO. As a company, we are passionate about making sure the honey you receive is what we say that it is, authentic and tasty.
Does The Scottish Bee Company contain any additives I should know about?
No. Our honey is all locally-sourced and lab-tested to ensure that it contains nothing but pure Scottish honey. We never heat our honey above the temperature of the hive, so it retains all its natural properties. You can find all of our lab tests here
My honey is crystallised — is this normal?
Crystallisation is a natural process and a sign of a good quality honey. Far from harming the quality of the honey, actually preserves its flavour and quality. We set our honey, another natural process, to ensure the product stays the same and to keep it more stable on the shelf. Our honey will have a thicker/creamier texture.
Is your packaging eco-friendly?
Yes, we only use recycled or recyclable packaging. Our honey comes in glass jars, with aluminium lids and recycled paper and card – all of which are widely recycled. Even our bubble bags are fully biodegradable and made from 90% recycled plastic, however we intend to move away from this and switch to paper wrap in the coming months. We recycle old hive parts too!
My order hasn't arrived, what do I do?
If your order is not with you within 5 days of ordering, please contact us and we will make it our top priority to rectify the situation.
Are your candle scents natural?
We searched high and low for an organic essential oil that did not require additional warnings signs such as 'Harmful to Aquatic Life'. To date we have been unable to find any. As a result we made the decision that saving bees but harming aquatic life didn't really fit our message so we went with a synthetic scent that required no extra warning signs, has never been tested on animals, contains no parabens and is NOT harmful to aquatic life. That being said, we are all about being as natural as possible so if anyone finds a more natural source that doesn't harm fish please let us know!
Do you ship to USA, Australia and Canada?
We do! Although, we should be clear that we are not allowed to send wildflower seeds. The gift items will exclude the seed sachet.
International Orders
USA - We ship using UPS and you should expect your order within a week.
Canada - We ship using UPS and you should expect your order within a week
Australia - We ship using UPS and you should expect your order within a week
Do you ship to Europe?
Unfortunately, we no longer ship to Europe anymore due to encountering many logistical and customs issues since Brexit. We hope to resolve this soon!
Do you test your honey for pesticides and GMOs?
Yes, we spot check our honey for pesticides and GMOs and are happy to announce that we have not found any. We also get asked a lot about glyphosate testing which we also spot check for. You can find our most recent lab results here.
Do you test your vinegars, dressings and shrubs for pesticides?
Yes, we spot check these food products for pesticides so you can be assured that our food products are of the highest quality. You can find our most recent lab results here.
I have purchased a bottle of salad dressing and the liquid has separated in the bottle. What's wrong with it?
Our dressings are an extremely natural product made with oil, vinegar and fresh fruit so you will see separation and sedimentation occur in the bottle. There is nothing wrong with it, simply shake well before use!
Does your apple cider vinegar contain the mother?
Our apple cider vinegars are unpasteurised and contain the mother ensuring an incredibly authentic and natural product.
Have another question?
Please email us at customerservices@scottishbeecompany.co.uk