Cadbury owner Mondelēz lobbied to weaken EU deforestation law, watchdog says
Global Witness says the company's chief executive met Washington's ambassador to the European Union months before lawmakers voted to simplify the rules; Mondelēz says it supports the law's goals.
Mondelēz International, the maker of Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone and Oreo, lobbied extensively to weaken and delay the European Union's deforestation law, according to an analysis by the environmental watchdog Global Witness.
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires companies selling cocoa and other forest products in the bloc to show they were not produced on land deforested after Dec. 31, 2020. Originally due to take effect in 2024, it will now apply from Dec. 31, 2026.
Global Witness said Mondelēz Chief Executive Dirk Van de Put met Andrew Puzder, the United States' ambassador to the European Union and a close ally of President Donald Trump, in Brussels in June, months before lawmakers approved simplifications to the regulation that took effect Sept. 18. Both men have openly criticized the law, the group said.
Mondelēz once backed the rules alongside Mars, Ferrero and Nestlé in an industry coalition but broke ranks in July 2025 to call for a 12-month delay, according to the report. Since 2023, it has spent between 1.2 million and 1.5 million euros ($1.4 million to $1.7 million) on lobbying in Brussels, though the topics are unclear, Global Witness said. It is also the only major chocolate maker the group analyzed that does not disclose what share of its cocoa supply is deforestation-free.
A Mondelēz spokesperson told Global Witness the company "fully support[s] the objectives" of the regulation and remains committed to deforestation-free supply chains. The spokesperson acknowledged the company lobbied, saying it engages with policymakers so the rule "works effectively in practice."
This brief is based on reporting by Shreya Dasgupta, published Sept. 25, 2026, by Mongabay. Read the original: https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/chocolate-giant-lobbied-u-s-and-eu-officials-over-deforestation-laws-says-report/
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
