Great Britain will introduce mandatory deforestation due diligence for businesses trading in forest-risk commodities, raising the compliance bar across agricultural and timber supply chains. Companies with an annual turnover above £1 million will need to demonstrate that their products carry no link to illegal forest clearance.
The regulations would cover wood, cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and derived products such as chocolate and furniture. Affected businesses will need to establish due diligence systems, report on their activity, and hold proof that goods were produced in compliance with relevant local laws. They will also need to collect geolocation data identifying where specific products originate.
Alignment with the European Union sits at the core of the design. The EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) will apply in Northern Ireland in phases from 30 December 2026, preserving its dual access to the UK Internal Market and the EU Single Market. The Great Britain rulebook is expected to mirror the same core commodities and information requirements, reducing regulatory divergence and supporting exporters selling into the EU.
Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said: “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.”
Agricultural expansion drives around 90% of global deforestation, much of it linked to internationally traded commodities. In 2023, UK consumption of these goods was associated with approximately 29,000 hectares of deforestation worldwide and 9.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
The government intends to act through powers under the Environment Act 2021 and by strengthening the UK Timber Regulation. A consultation with businesses, civil society, and international partners will run later this year. Over the longer term, the government aims to move beyond illegal deforestation towards a deforestation-free standard, requiring covered products to be produced free from any deforestation — a shift that would extend traceability and proof-of-origin obligations across global commodity markets.