Friday, October 05, 2007

Australian Supermarket Woolworths Withdraws APP sourced Tissue Products

Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has withdrawn tens of thousands of units of tissue and paper products after ceding to NGO pressure over its links with an Indonesian paper supplier. NGOs have made allegations that a range of products labeled with a “Sustainable Forest Fibre” logo were sourced from unsustainable forestry practices. Woolworths sources these products from Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). The Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) issued a press release in which it called on Woolworths to re-examine its supply chain. A3P has urged consumers to buy products with fibre sourced from sustainably managed plantations certified under internationally recognised sustainable forest management certification schemes such as the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (includes the Australian Forestry Standard) and the Forest Stewardship Council. Woolworths is now investigating the claims made in the logo. It has engaged WWF Australia to assist the company to examine its supply chain. More

Source: Forestry & Development E-News