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Asda has become the latest grocer to sign up to WWF’s Save Forests campaign, completing the lineup of major supermarkets lending their support.
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The ‘Big Four’ supermarkets – controlling over 70% of the grocery market – have now joined Waitrose and M&S, pledging to ensure their timber and wood-based products will be from sustainable sources by 2020.
The campaign is calling for loopholes in current legislation that allow illegally sourced or unsustainable wood to be legally imported and sold in the UK to be closed.
‘We are delighted to support the WWF-UK forestry campaign. Over 90% of our customers tell us that they care about being green so we know that is important to play our part to secure the world’s forests for the future.’
Chris Brown, Sustainable Business Director at Asda
The grocery chains that have now signed up to WWF’s Forests Campaign are:
‘Committing to WWF’s forests campaign and ensuring their businesses are not contributing to illegally sourced or unsustainable timber is a powerful and important step that will have a huge impact on some of the world’s remaining natural forests.
‘If the remaining few grocery chains made the pledge they could have an incredible impact in the UK and beyond, helping save the habitats of some of the most endangered species.’
Julia Young, Manager of the Global Forest and Trade Network in the UK, WWF-UK
Signing up to the pledge means the supermarkets will ensure all their own-brand products and materials used will be from sustainable sources.
Over half the products sold by supermarkets are own brand, which is where these companies can exercise most influence.
‘We have an existing commitment that all the wood used to build and fit our stores, to run our business and to manufacture and package our products will be responsibly sourced by 2020 – we’re currently at 98%.
‘This campaign can only help us and we’re delighted to work with WWF to make sure business support for legal and sustainable forestry is heard loud and clear.’
Fiona Wheatley, Plan A Sustainable Development Manager at Marks & Spencer
It is also hoped that the supermarkets will be engaging with brands on sustainability of their own products, helping to shape a new marketplace based on sustainable supply instead of short-term gain.
The supermarkets’ pledge to buy sustainable timber and timber products by 2020 is also expected to reduce the amount of illegal and timber products coming into UK markets.
A further impact will be that consumers will know they’re shopping with a responsible company that has chosen not to contribute to illegal or unsustainable deforestation around the world.
Click here to find out more about WWF’s Save Forests campaign and to add your support.
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