Commodities linked to deforestation, such as soy, palm oil, cattle, cocoa, timber, coffee and rubber, will be required to assess their supply chains and ensure they are not driving illegal deforestation overseas.
The government is stepping in to stamp deforestation out of UK supply chains by ensuring everyday products sold in Great Britain do not drive illegal deforestation around the world, under proposals being consulted on today.
The announcement comes as senior politicians from around the world, including the Foreign Secretary, gather for a Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya.
Commodities like soy and palm oil are widely used in everyday goods sold across the UK, from chocolate and cooking oils to toiletries and cosmetic products. However, these goods currently come with a risk of driving illegal deforestation overseas – as forested land can be illegally seized or cleared to make room for production of these goods.
Healthy forests are essential to climate stability, food security and livelihoods of communities at home and abroad. Yet in 2023, the UK’s consumption of goods associated with deforestation was linked to around 29,000 hectares of deforestation worldwide – around one and a half times the size of Manchester – fuelling 9.4m tonnes of carbon emissions.
Consumers and campaigners have long called for measures that will provide more certainty over the environmental footprint of the goods they are buying. Many UK businesses have already taken voluntary action to reduce the risk of deforestation in their supply chains, but these changes go further amid calls from major retailers for a stronger regulatory framework.
The proposed approach to prevent goods we consume in the UK driving illegal deforestation will help the UK deliver on the commitment made with 144 other countries at COP26 in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said:
We cannot tackle climate change without acting to protect the world’s forests, which contain some of our planet’s most valuable wildlife and habitats.
British consumers want to feel confident that the everyday goods they buy are not driving devastating illegal deforestation abroad, and so we are stepping in to give them that certainty.
This government is determined to stamp illegal deforestation out of UK supply chains for good and show global leadership on tackling the climate and nature crises.
The government is seeking to ensure that the regime in Great Britain operates alongside the regime in Northern Ireland to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, protect the UK internal market and support export-led growth
The consultation launched today will seek views from businesses, environmental organisations and international stakeholders. It will include proposals for mandatory due diligence obligations under existing powers, including those contained in the Environment Act 2021, as well as measures to strengthen the UK Timber Regulation.
To preserve Northern Ireland’s unique access to both the UK Internal Market and the EU Single Market, the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) will begin applying in Northern Ireland in phases from 30 December 2026. Before the EUDR applies businesses are being encouraged to prepare their supply chains, to come into compliance.
Over time, the government’s ambition is to move towards a deforestation-free standard. This would build on ongoing international efforts to remove forest loss from global supply chains.
