Tesco is being urged by environmental campaigners to stop buying meat and dairy from companies they say are involved in destroying the Amazon.
Greenpeace is also calling on the retailer to cut the amount of meat it sells in half by 2025 to protect wildlife, the climate and people.
According to the environmental group, Tesco is buying meat from companies that are linked to destruction of the Amazon, which is being burned and cleared to make way for cattle ranching and growing soya for animal feed.
But the retailer said it did not sell any beef, chicken or pork from Brazil, had set targets to make sure soya used in its supply chains did not cause deforestation and was increasing its plant-based range.
The environmental campaign group accuses the supermarket of pushing back the goal to end its part in deforestation for commodities such as soya from a 2020 date to 2025 and of not having a credible plan to get there.
Greenpeace raised concerns that rather than tracing soy supplies back to the farm, Tesco purchased credits to certify a volume of soya equivalent to the amount in their supply chain that has been produced sustainably.
But Tesco said it was on track to deliver zero net deforestation by 2020 through the certification process and had brought in tougher 2025 targets to ensure soya was from whole areas and regions verified as deforestation-free.
Anna Jones, head of forests, Greenpeace UK, said: “Unless Tesco commits to significantly reducing meat and dairy sales and drops forest destroyers immediately, vitally important forests will continue to be slashed and burned.”
Dave Lewis, group chief executive of Tesco, said: “We support Greenpeace’s aim to prevent further Amazon deforestation. That’s why Tesco does not buy meat from Brazil. It’s why we will hit our target of zero deforestation in our soya animal feed through certification this year. And it’s why we commit to do more, setting tougher targets for 2025.”
