Copper tape has been laid along sections of the south coast, including Dover, in an effort to deter unwanted molluscs.
“We can’t keep allowing them to just turn up and eat our crops and potted plants,” said a Home Office spokesperson.
Critics have questioned whether the tape will work at all once wet, and that it may simply divert slugs to less protected stretches of coastline.
The Home Office declined to provide figures on the number of slugs deterred, citing operational sensitivities, but insisted the scheme had already “sent a strong message”.