Global report shows retailers still falling short on sustainable chocolate

A global report into the chocolate industry has found that while some companies are improving their sustainability practices, many retailers are still failing to ensure transparent and accountable cocoa supply chains that would protect cocoa-farming communities. 

The 7th Edition Chocolate Scorecard, released last week by the group Be Slavery Free, highlights the industry’s uneven progress across eight key areas – traceability, living income, child and forced labour, deforestation, agroforestry, pesticides, gender and health – with gaps particularly evident in retailers’ own-brand products. 

Stephanie Perkiss, Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong School of Business in Australia, is part of the Chocolate Scorecard team and sits on its Data Ethics and Integrity Committee. She recently co-authored a report on Cocoa Sustainability for Retailers, 2026. 

“Consumers increasingly want to make ethical choices, but they depend on retailers to make those choices possible through transparency and responsible sourcing. This year’s Scorecard shows that progress is happening, but it is inconsistent and too often accountability is fragmented,” she says. 

The annual Scorecard evaluates major chocolate companies on sustainability performance and tracks transparency and accountability across global supply chains. This year it assessed 49 companies. 

Gap between expectations and accountability 

Perkiss believes the Scorecard and the Cocoa Sustainability report highlight a persistent gap between consumer expectations and retailer accountability. 

“During occasions like Mother’s Day, consumers buy chocolate as a gesture of care and generosity, but behind that gift can be complex supply chains that don’t always reflect those values,” she says. 

According to the University of Wollongong, the Scorecard points to a broader trend across the industry, where improved monitoring has not yet translated into improved outcomes for cocoa-growing communities.  

“While the industry has made significant advances in understanding its supply chains, translating that knowledge into fairer outcomes for farmers and more sustainable practices remains a challenge,” the university says in a statement. 

You can access the Scorecard here.