The UK Cocoa Coalition was officially launched in Parliament on 24 March, as first reported by CocoaRadar, marking a rare moment of alignment between chocolate manufacturers, major retailers, NGOs, and policymakers.
Convened by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Deforestation and the NGO Forest Coalition, the event brought together industry and civil society voices calling for urgent implementation of the UK’s long-delayed Forest Risk Commodities (FRC) regulation.
At face value, the message was clear: business and environmental protection are no longer at odds.
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Richard Laming, Head of Public Affairs at Ferrero UK & Ireland, framed the Coalition as evidence that “the needs of business and protecting the environment are not in competition but go hand in hand,” urging the government to bring forward legislation as “a vital first step in building a more resilient and sustainable cocoa supply chain.”
Retailers echoed that urgency. Jo Ennion of Sainsbury’s highlighted the commercial uncertainty created by regulatory delays: “Over four years after the passing of the Environment Act, uncertainty over forest risk commodity regulations challenges businesses’ ability to invest.”
Anthony Myers
From a policy perspective, the tone was equally supportive. Delivering the keynote address, UK Special Representative for Nature Ruth Davis emphasised a three-part strategy – governance, finance, and supply chains – as the foundation for sustainable transformation. APPG co-chair Alex Sobel MP reinforced the argument that regulation would provide clarity rather than burden: a long-awaited framework for businesses already preparing to act.
Yet beneath this broad consensus lies a more complex reality.