By French grocer Carrefour has firmly denied claims that it received beef from cattle farms involved in deforestation and land-theft in the Amazon. The denial comes in response to a report stating that one of Carrefour’s suppliers had acquired livestock from a business that had received fines for environmental destruction.
According to investigative-news outlet Reporter Brasil, a Carrefour supplier in Brazil received cattle in 2021 and 2022 from farms that had been fined for deforestation and illegal appropriation of land in the Amazon. The report suggests that these cattle were transferred to “clean” farms in an attempt to hide their connections to deforestation.
Carrefour, however, refutes these claims. The company asserts that it does not receive beef from the implicated farms and emphasizes its use of real-time geo-surveillance to monitor over 33,000 Brazilian farms.
In response to the allegations, Carrefour Brazil conducted a thorough check of its database. The company states, “After being alerted by Reporter Brasil, Carrefour Brazil checked its database to confirm the absence of any supply of beef” from the farms in question. Carrefour strongly disputes the validity of the accusation.
As one of Europe and Latin America’s largest supermarket chains, Carrefour is committed to ensuring that 100% of the beef sold in its Brazilian stores complies with sustainability rules. These rules include the requirement that the beef must not originate from areas affected by deforestation or indigenous land. Such regulations are now enforced by the European Union since this summer.
Deforestation poses a significant threat in the Amazon, which is a vital biodiversity hot spot and a crucial carbon sink. To address this issue, the countries hosting the world’s largest rainforest recently convened to develop new strategies for its protection. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hosted the meeting.
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