Investigative studies have revealed that Burger King’s suppliers are linked to massive deforestation of South America’s tropical forests.

Reports released by Mighty Earth have revealed that United States based animal feed suppliers Cargill and Bunge, two of the world’s largest soy producers actively facilitated the destruction of native wetlands, displaced local populations, and cleared about 200 million hectares of land for soy production.

The NGO presented the evidence based on data derived from satellite images, drone surveillance, interviews with indigenous farmers, and extensive supply chain mapping.

Both Cargill and Bunge are Burger King’s biggest animal feed namely soy suppliers.

The reason soy cultivation is linked to the meat industry is because 75% of the world’s soy is used for animal feed as opposed to feeding humans leaving the meat industry as the world’s leading driver of tropical deforestation.  

Additionally, the animal agriculture industry is more resource intensive and has a larger carbon footprint releasing high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), beef is responsible for twice the damage caused to forests followed by soy, palm oil and wood products.

Greenpeace also called out Burger King for doing business with companies that are openly destroying the environment.

Greenpeace UK CEO Alisdair Murdoch presented Burger King with a ‘flame-grilling the Amazon rainforest’ award.

“Growing demand for meat from fast-food giants like Burger King is leading to vast areas of Brazilian forests being destroyed for cattle ranches and animal feed. Burger King must stop buying meat and soya from Brazil until the Amazon and its people are protected,” said Greenpeace head of forests Richard George

“The Amazon is still burning, yet Burger King keeps buying meat and animal feed from the companies responsible for the crisis.

“Their burgers are flame-grilling the Amazon,” he added.

Response

Burger King denied claims about it abetting companies practicing unsustainable practices.

Speaking to PRWeek, a Burger King UK spokesperson said: “Burger King UK only source 100 per cent British and Irish beef. Burger King UK has a clear sustainable soy policy setting out the legal, environmental and social requirements of sustainably sourced soy. 

“We work in partnership with our suppliers to ensure that our ingredients and raw materials are sourced in a sustainable way, with minimal impact to the environment.”

According to Reuters, the fast food giant also pledged to ‘eliminate deforestation from its supply chains by 2030’, but environmentalists and activists have slammed the company’s commitment as “embarrassingly weak” and want the company to be more transparent and implement a stringent “no deforestation, no exploitation” policy.

• Read: 11,000 scientists declare meat consumption is one of the leading causes of the looming climate crisis

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