EUDR Makes Retailers Legally Responsible for Deforestation-Free Products
The European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has introduced new responsibilities for retailers. They must now demonstrate traceability, conduct risk assessments, and maintain their own compliance systems for deforestation-free products. Retailers are legally accountable for meeting EUDR standards, especially when selling private-label goods, multi-ingredient products, or direct imports. They must use an upstream Due Diligence Statement (DDS) only for unaltered, branded goods with a valid, batch-specific DDS submitted in EU-TRACES. For other products, retailers must have their own EUDR compliance systems. The EUDR Compliance Platform aids retailers with end-to-end traceability, automated DDS generation, risk monitoring, and compliance dashboards for audits. Under EUDR, retailers are considered operators and must submit a DDS proving their product is deforestation-free, legally produced, and low-risk. They must verify supplier claims, monitor risks, and maintain their own compliance systems. An ideal retail compliance stack includes digital traceability tools, risk-scoring dashboards, document management, and auto-generated DDS reports. EUDR has transformed retailers' roles, making them legally responsible for ensuring their products meet deforestation-free standards. They must demonstrate traceability, conduct risk assessments, and maintain robust compliance systems. The EUDR Compliance Platform supports retailers in meeting these new requirements.
