Barry Callebaut, Ferrero, The Hershey Company and Tony’s Chocolonely have joined a newly formed UK Cocoa Coalition that brings together manufacturers, retailers and non-governmental organisations to press for stronger rules on cocoa sourcing and the elimination of deforestation from supply chains. According to reporting by ConfectioneryNews, the group is urging rapid enactment of the UK’s Forest Risk Commodities regime to drive greater transparency and improve conditions for farmers.

The coalition pairs major brands with established sustainability NGOs and supermarket chains, including the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade Foundation, WWF, the International Cocoa Initiative, VOICE Network and retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. Confectionery industry observers note the UK’s role as the world’s third-largest chocolate market lends considerable leverage to any regulatory shift originating in London.

“Ferrero is committed to a deforestation free cocoa supply chain and we are an active advocate of the Forest Risk Commodities regulation,” Richard Laming, head of public affairs at Ferrero UK, said in a statement. “But we know that one single entity cannot address the challenges the cocoa industry is facing alone. We must combine efforts to drive positive impact for farmers and forests. We are proud to be part of the new multi-stakeholder UK Cocoa Coalition, and we remain committed to playing our part, together with the industry, to achieve our shared goal of building a more resilient and sustainable cocoa supply chain.” Belinda Borck, public affairs lead at Tony’s Chocolonely, added: “We believe that real change in cocoa starts with shared responsibility and clear, consistent sourcing principles and rules,” stressing that companies need aligned legislation to tackle illegal deforestation and human rights abuses.

The coalition builds on existing industry collaborations intended to boost traceability and ethical sourcing. Barry Callebaut and Tony’s Chocolonely have operated strategic partnerships to process fully traceable cocoa and to support cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire, including dedicated processing capacity in Belgium and joint initiatives aimed at eliminating child labour and improving farmer incomes.

Legal and policy developments underpin the coalition’s timing. The UK Forest Risk Commodities due diligence regime, established under the Environment Act 2021, is designed to ban the sale of commodities produced on land that has been illegally occupied or used; industry legal analysts have flagged that implementing legislation and enforcement mechanisms are expected to be introduced imminently, heightening pressure on supply-chain compliance.

Coalition members say a common set of sourcing principles and an enforceable regulatory baseline will reduce fragmentation in retailer and manufacturer policies, lower the cost of compliance for producers who already follow best practice, and create incentives for wider uptake of sustainable farming methods. Industry experts and campaign groups alike argue that UK regulation, combined with coordinated private-sector action, could prompt similar measures elsewhere and reshape global cocoa sourcing practices.

If the coalition’s agenda succeeds, it would mark a shift from voluntary pledges toward legally backed standards as the floor for responsible chocolate production, with the stated aims of protecting forests, improving transparency and supporting more resilient livelihoods for cocoa farmers.