Do you know where your charcoal comes from?
We have become used to asking questions about our food. Where was it grown? Where was it reared? Who produced it, and what did our purchase support?
But how often do we ask the same questions about the fuel we cook it over?
A recent investigation by environmental campaign group Global Witness has raised serious questions about charcoal sold in Britain and its connection to deforestation in Paraguay’s Gran Chaco forest.
The findings reinforce something we have always believed at House of Charcoal: charcoal is the most important ingredient, and knowing where it comes from matters.
What did the Global Witness investigation find?
Published in September 2026, the Global Witness investigation examined the supply chain behind Paraguayan charcoal imported into the UK.
According to Global Witness, major British charcoal brand Big K has sourced charcoal from Paraguayan suppliers operating in the Gran Chaco. The Gran Chaco is South America’s second-largest forest after the Amazon and supports Indigenous communities as well as wildlife including jaguars and tapirs.
Global Witness reports that Big K has imported at least 45 million kilograms of Paraguayan charcoal since 2021. Its investigation links companies within that supply chain to timber originating from land cleared for cattle farming and agricultural development.
Global Witness does not allege that Big K or the suppliers it identifies have acted illegally. The companies involved state that their operations comply with Paraguayan law and that the wood used for charcoal is a by-product of authorised land clearance.
However, this exposes an important distinction: legal does not necessarily mean free from deforestation.
Paraguayan law permits extensive forest clearance on privately owned land. Global Witness argues that, whatever its legal status, this loss of forest still affects biodiversity, the climate, local water cycles and Indigenous communities.
Read the full Global Witness investigation
The gap in UK charcoal regulation
The investigation also highlights gaps in the UK’s approach to products associated with deforestation.
The Environment Act was passed in 2021 with the intention of addressing the UK’s contribution to illegal deforestation overseas. Global Witness reports that the secondary legislation required to enforce the relevant measures has not yet been introduced. It also notes that charcoal is not currently included within the products covered by the proposed rules.
More fundamentally, legislation focused only on illegal deforestation would not necessarily prevent products connected to forest clearance that is permitted under the laws of the producing country from entering Britain.
This means that consumers cannot assume a bag of charcoal is responsibly sourced simply because it can legally be sold here.
Why charcoal provenance matters
Charcoal is often treated as an anonymous commodity. The front of the bag may talk about restaurant quality, hardwood or a long burn, while offering very little information about where the wood was grown or where the charcoal was made.
Some products are packaged or branded in Britain but produced using timber grown thousands of miles away. Phrases such as “packed in the UK” or “designed in Britain” are not the same as grown and made in Britain.
Without clear provenance, it can be difficult to know what species are inside the bag, how the woodland was managed, who made the charcoal or what environmental impact sits behind it.
That is why we encourage everyone to turn the bag over and look beyond the marketing on the front.
What does Back British Charcoal mean?
Backing British charcoal is not about claiming that every imported product is bad. It is about provenance, transparency and informed choice.
Britain has its own network of skilled charcoal makers producing exceptional fuel from British-grown timber. Many work with wood generated through coppicing, conservation and the responsible management of local woodlands.
Bringing neglected woodland back into active management can improve its structure, allow more light to reach the woodland floor and create a greater variety of habitats. It also gives responsibly removed timber a productive use and supports rural skills and livelihoods.
At House of Charcoal, we work directly with artisan makers around Britain. We tell you who made your charcoal, where it came from and, wherever possible, the species of wood inside the bag. From ash and hornbeam to hazel, chestnut, alder and oak, different British woods also offer their own lighting, heat and burn characteristics.
Provenance is not an added extra. It is central to the product.
How to make a more informed choice
Before buying your next bag of charcoal, ask:
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Where was the wood grown?
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In which country was the charcoal actually produced?
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Does the bag clearly identify the maker or source?
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Is the type or species of wood stated?
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Is there evidence of responsible woodland management?
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Does “British” refer to the timber and production, or only to the packaging and branding?
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Does the charcoal contain accelerants, binders or other additives?
If this information is missing or difficult to find, ask why.
Know Your Fuel
The Global Witness investigation shows why charcoal should no longer be treated as an afterthought. The choices we make about fuel can reach far beyond the barbecue, affecting forests, habitats, communities and the people working to produce charcoal responsibly.
You do not need to stop cooking over fire. You simply need to know what you are lighting.
Turn over the bag. Ask where it came from. Choose traceable fuel and Know Your Fuel.
