Food brands challenge deforestation rules in UK environment bill

New bill will enforce fines on UK-based companies that fail to cut links to illegally deforested land

Trade associations representing leading food suppliers have questioned the need for new regulations to protect forests overseas, which will come before parliament in the environment bill on Wednesday.

The much-delayed bill will contain provisions to force UK-based companies to examine their supply chains in depth and ensure that they are free of links to land illegally deforested overseas.