UK’s New Trade Strategy Draws Criticism Over Weak Environmental Safeguards

The UK Government has unveiled its new trade strategy, setting out how future trade policy will intersect with climate action, supply chain resilience, and access to essential imports. While the plan aims to show progress, several environmental organisations argue it misses the mark.

Expectations were high that the document would introduce firm legal guarantees ensuring that imported agricultural goods meet the UK’s environmental and animal welfare standards. But that didn’t happen.

Right now, the UK imports around 40% of its food supply. That means trade decisions carry significant environmental weight, especially given agriculture’s role in both carbon emissions and biodiversity loss on a global scale.

The strategy maintains the UK’s current rules around food safety and animal welfare. Practices like battery cages and sow stalls, which are banned domestically, remain recognised concerns. However, the government stops short of requiring foreign producers to meet the same ethical and environmental benchmarks. That gap worries advocacy groups, particularly as the UK strikes deals with countries where lower standards are still the norm.

One recent flashpoint was the UK-US trade agreement. Environmental and animal rights groups warned that the deal could open the door to controversial practices, like chlorine-washed chicken, hormone-treated beef, and pork from sow stalls, none of which are legal in the UK, but all of which are common in the US.

The strategy also addresses how climate change is affecting global trade. Extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and wildfires are already disrupting the flow of goods around the world, and the UK is not immune.

With nearly 83% of its fruit and 45% of its vegetables sourced from abroad, the country’s food system is increasingly exposed. A recent study from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit found that around £8 billion worth of food imported into the UK is currently vulnerable to climate-related risks.

In response, the government is establishing a new Supply Chain Centre within the Department for Business and Trade. This body will analyse key supply chains and recommend practical steps to strengthen them.

Additionally, the UK plans to push for stronger international cooperation on supply chain security. Forums such as the World Trade Organisation, the G7, and the Commonwealth will be used to tackle vulnerabilities, particularly in areas like food, pharmaceuticals and clean energy components.

The trade strategy also touches on labour rights, both at home and abroad. The government pledges to continue embedding strong labour provisions into new trade deals and to stay engaged through platforms like the International Labour Organisation, G7, and G20.

There’s also a renewed focus on ethical business conduct. The government will review how UK-based companies manage their supply chains, with special attention to human rights and forced labour. As part of this, it plans to upgrade the UK’s National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, renaming it the Office for Responsible Business Conduct. The review process will involve business leaders, unions, NGOs, and other key voices.

That move follows concerns raised in a recent inquiry by Parliament into forced labour, which questioned whether the Modern Slavery Act still does enough to tackle the issue.

So how does trade policy support the UK’s climate goals? The government says it will ramp up trade in low-carbon goods and services, which it sees as vital to reaching net-zero.

Starting in 2027, the UK will implement a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. This tool will impose fees on carbon-intensive imports to level the playing field between domestic producers and international exporters in countries with weaker carbon pricing.

The strategy argues that the global push toward net-zero could inject more than $10 trillion into the global economy by 2050. In the UK, green sectors—especially offshore wind and hydrogen—are already outpacing broader economic growth.

To seize these opportunities, the government will promote UK low-carbon industries abroad while improving access to cleaner imports.

Finally, the UK says it remains committed to international initiatives that align trade and climate policy. These include efforts to support circular economies, promote biodiversity, and grow the clean energy transition worldwide.

Fairtrade Foundation’s chief executive Eleanor Harrison said: “With this trade strategy, the UK Government has acknowledged the power of fair trade.

“They now need to move at pace to deliver trade that benefits British businesses, sures up our fragile supply chains and improves the lives of people around the world.

“The devil is always in the details. We look forward to more in-depth information on how the Government’s plans will target support to overseas farmers and workers who are on the frontline of environmental and human rights crises.”