Charcoal investigation exposes a UK–EU deforestation control gap

On September 10, Reuters reported that a Global Witness investigation linked charcoal sold by major UK retailers to wood sourced from ranches that the group said had cleared more than 28,000 hectares in Paraguay’s Gran Chaco; supplier Taruma denied wrongdoing, and Waitrose said its products met Forest Stewardship Council standards. Reuters noted that Britain’s Environment Act applies to commodities from illegally deforested land and excludes charcoal, while EU rules scheduled for December 30 are broader. Corporate counsel should distinguish certification, local legality and regulatory scope rather than treating any one of them as conclusive supply-chain assurance. The investigation also shows how NGO satellite analysis can create disclosure and retailer risk before regulators make a finding, particularly where UK and EU product coverage diverges.