The Australian Conservation Foundation has expressed concern that Woolworths, Australia's biggest beef buyer, appears to have abandoned its 2025 no-deforestation goal for Australian beef.
Woolworths' 2025 Sustainability report, removes beef from its list of primary deforestation-linked commodities.
"No one sells more beef to Australians than Woolworths, so it is extremely worrying the company appears to have abandoned its commitment to only sell deforestation-free beef by the end of 2025," said ACF's nature and business lead Nathaniel Pelle.
"The statement that Australian beef is a low deforestation risk is not supported by government data from Queensland and NSW that shows agricultural land clearing is increasing.
"All the evidence says beef pasture expansion by a minority of landowners is the number one driver of deforestation in Australia, eclipsing housing construction, mining and infrastructure many times over.
"This apparent walk back comes just a day after Coles made a new commitment to remove deforestation from its beef supply chain.
"Australian consumers ought to be able to walk in to a supermarket to pick up a steak and be confident that they are not contributing to the destruction of koalas' homes. At Woolworths they can't be.
"If I was a Woolies investor, I would be very concerned the company is not serious about sustainability after this regressive policy update that accompanies a weakening of the company's climate ambition."
On Tuesday, ACF welcomed Coles' commitment to no longer directly source beef linked to deforestation, which represents up to 85% of its own-branded product, by the end of the year, in accordance with the Science-based Targets Initiative.
