These everyday items may disappear from supermarkets in ban

Under new rules set out during London Climate Action Week on June 23, items containing ingredients linked to illegal rainforest destruction could be pulled from sale.

The move would affect products that use commodities such as soy, oil, cocoa and rubber—found in chocolate, cooking oils, cosmetics, and shampoos.

Mary Creagh, Nature Minister, said: “Tackling global deforestation is one of the most effective ways we can address climate change and protect some of the world’s most precious and unique wildlife.

“That’s why we are leading by example and scrutinising our own supply chains.

“Eliminating products linked to illegal deforestation not only helps to protect precious ecosystems but is good for our collective resilience and long-term prosperity.”

The government plans to use powers under the Environmental Act to introduce ‘due diligence’ requirements for businesses.

This means that UK companies will need to ensure that forest-based commodities in their supply chains are not linked to illegally cleared land.

The proposals aim to reduce the risk of UK imports contributing to illegal land clearing and ecosystem destruction abroad.

Officials say the measures will support global efforts to protect forests, help endangered species, and give confidence to UK shoppers that their purchases are not fuelling environmental harm overseas.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said: “Retailers welcome today’s announcement.

“We have long called for UK deforestation regulation as an important step in driving forest conservation across retail supply chains in line with business commitments, while supporting alignment with the EU where possible to avoid unnecessary costs and complexity for retailers and their customers.

“However, with the EU regulation due to take effect in Northern Ireland at the end of the year, it’s important that the government takes a pragmatic approach to enforcement to minimise disruption for businesses and consumers.”

The UK government will launch a full consultation later this year involving businesses, civil society, and international partners.

This will inform the development of a GB-wide deforestation policy, including the legal details of mandatory checks on supply chains.

The consultation will also explore how to strengthen the UK Timber Regulations—part of efforts to transition towards a ‘deforestation-free’ standard for all relevant commodities in the future.

If adopted, this standard would ultimately require that products placed on the GB market involve no deforestation at all, legal or otherwise.

For now, the focus remains on tackling illegal deforestation first.

The move comes as the EU prepares to roll out its own Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), which will come into force in phases from December 30 in Northern Ireland.

Gavin Crowden, director of advocacy at WWF, said: “The UK government has warned that the collapse of tropical forests in places like the Amazon and Indonesia is a national security risk, not just an environmental one.

“We rely on these forests for food and climate stability, and they’re home to extraordinary wildlife.

“With new rules finally coming into force in Northern Ireland at the end of the year, there’s no excuse for further delay that would leave shoppers in the rest of the UK still unwittingly driving the destruction of the rainforest.”