The government has introduced new legislation that will ban UK supermarkets from sourcing products from land that has been linked to illegal deforestation.
The introduction follows an open letter signed by grocery giants to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, urging him to implement deforestation legislation that he vowed to introduce during 2021’s Glasgow COP26 summit.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay set out new laws on Saturday designed to protect the habitats of endangered animals, including tigers and leopards, as well to reassure consumers that UK’s supermarkets are not contributing to global deforestation.
Businesses that have a global turnover of more than £50m will be banned from using commodities sourced from land used illegally with palm oil, cocoa, beef, leather and soy covered by the legislation.
Firms will need to undertake due diligence on supply chains and report back annually, which marks a change in strategy from existing procedures, which have taken a voluntary approach.
Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning
The biggest driver of deforestation is agricultural expansion, with statistics showing an area the size of the UK is ploughed each year to meet the UK’s demand for products.
Environment secretary Steve Barclay said: “We are cleaning up supply chains to make sure that big businesses in the UK aren’t responsible for illegal deforestation. It also means shoppers can be confident that the money they spend is part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
“Through our work at COP28 on forests, food, and nature we are reversing the loss of biodiversity, increasing food security, and tackling climate change – safeguarding these critically important landscapes for generations to come.”
BRC director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie added: “Retailers welcome the announcement on UK Deforestation Due Diligence legislation. This will give confidence to British retailers and their customers alike, helping retailers meet their ambitious targets on deforestation and enable a greater supply of deforestation-free products in the UK.
“Tackling deforestation requires global cooperation and we look forward to seeing further detail as to how the legislation will align with European proposals.”
