New due diligence rules target coffee, cocoa, and rubber supply chains as Britain moves to close a five-year regulatory gap.
BY BHAVI PATEL
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Featured photo by Apilak Sangkhwan
What to know:
- The U.K. is reviving long-delayed deforestation rules: Great Britain plans to introduce mandatory due diligence requirements for coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, and rubber under the Environment Act 2021, closing a five-year regulatory gap
- Coffee companies will face greater supply-chain scrutiny: The proposed rules would focus on illegal deforestation and require businesses to collect and pass along supply-chain information similar to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This could significantly increase traceability and documentation requirements for coffee importers and roasters
- Businesses should prepare before the rules take effect: Legislation is expected in 2027 following a 2026 consultation, although an enforcement date has not yet been set. With voluntary deforestation commitments remaining limited, coffee companies are encouraged to strengthen traceability systems now in anticipation of stricter sourcing requirements.
The United Kingdom has finally moved to activate a deforestation law that has sat unused since 2021. Earlier this year, during London Climate Action Week, Nature Minister Mary Creagh confirmed that Great Britain will introduce mandatory due diligence rules for coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, and rubber. The announcement ends years of delay under Schedule 17 of the Environment Act 2021 and signals closer alignment with the European Union’s own deforestation regulation. For coffee businesses, the shift means new scrutiny is on the way.
Here is an overview of what the plan involves, why it matters for coffee, and what remains uncertain.
A law five years in the making
The rules have been anticipated since the passage of the U.K.’s Environment Act in 2021, with Schedule 17 establishing a legal basis for strict regulations governing forest-risk commodities. The U.K. government had not yet issued those rules or submitted them to Parliament, drawing criticism from environmental groups. The June 23 announcement, made via GOV.UK, confirmed the government will now use Environment Act powers alongside legislation strengthening the existing U.K. Timber Regulation, in place since 2013.
Coffee enters the regulatory conversation
The U.K. plans mandatory due diligence rules for coffee and other commodities linked to illegal deforestation, though unlike the EUDR, the proposed U.K. rules would cover only illegal deforestation rather than all deforestation. This is a meaningful distinction for coffee-sourcing companies, since legality standards vary by producer country. One study estimates that coffee accounts for roughly 1% of agriculture-driven deforestation globally. A separate April 2026 Forest 500 report found only 47% of well-known coffee companies had published any public deforestation-free commitment for coffee.
Aligning with Brussels to avoid trade friction
The upcoming consultation will propose that the Great Britain regime covers the same core commodities and information requirements as the regulation applying in Northern Ireland, an approach designed to prevent administrative duplication across the U.K. The government aims for businesses to hold and pass down the supply chain broadly the same information as required under the EUDR. Large and medium EU operators must comply with the EUDR from December 30, 2026, with micro and small operators following from June 30, 2027. Northern Ireland will follow the EU timeline directly.
The numbers behind the policy
A large part of global deforestation is driven by agriculture, and in 2023, U.K. consumption of agricultural commodities was linked to 29,000 hectares of deforestation worldwide and 9.4 million tonnes of associated carbon emissions. A mandatory due diligence framework for timber has existed across the U.K. since 2013, and the government now intends to extend similar rigor to other forest risk commodities.
What comes next for businesses
The government indicates legislation to implement the regime should arrive in 2027, following a 2026 consultation process, with further details expected shortly. No enforcement date has been confirmed. Roasters and importers sourcing forest risk commodities should begin reviewing supply chain traceability now, since alignment with EUDR data standards suggests similar documentation burdens are coming regardless of which regulation ultimately applies.
For the specialty-coffee sector, this announcement is a turning point rather than a finished policy. The U.K. has signaled clear intent to close a five-year regulatory gap and mirror EU standards, but consultation, secondary legislation, and enforcement dates remain unsettled. Coffee companies should treat this as an early warning to strengthen traceability systems. Voluntary commitments, as Forest 500’s findings suggest, have proven insufficient. Mandatory rules, once finalized, will likely reshape sourcing practices across the U.K. coffee trade for years to come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bhavi Patel is a food writer focusing on coffee and tea, and a brand-building specialist with a background in dairy technology and an interest in culinary history and sensory perception of food.
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