Giant supermarket chain Woolworths will stop selling beef supplied by companies linked with deforestation as part of an initiative to address biodiversity decline.
The announcement – which follows a similar commitment some time ago by rival Aldi – comes after The Australian Conservation Foundation (AFC) reported 50 examples of deforestation that occurred in the last four years on properties linked to the cattle industry.
Woolworths, one of Australia’s largest beef retailers, says the move will help end the destruction of all ecosystems, including native bushland, not just forests – all of which are habitats of native koala bears.
“No one sells more beef to Australians than Woolworths, so this commitment has enormous implications for nature and for people who want to make sustainable food choices,” said ACF’s nature and business lead Nathaniel Pelle.
However, another large player, Coles, has yet to take action on this issue despite conceding that “deforestation is a contributor to climate change and biodiversity loss” in its sustainability report.
“It is disappointing Coles is dragging the chain on this and will continue to turn a blind eye to nature destruction linked to its supply chains,” Pelle said.
“A completely deforestation-free Australian beef industry is entirely possible, but it requires all the big players to take action.”
Greenpeace Australia Pacific said Australia has one of the world’s worst rates of deforestation, killing or hurting approximately 100 million native species each year and contributing to climate change.
Koalas require mature trees to live in. Threatened species, including red-tailed black cockatoos, require tree hollows to nest in, which only occur in trees that are decades old.
