Wyevale Garden Centres plc has withdrawn Burmese teak furniture products from sale following Greenpeace protests at its stores during Easter.
Activists descended on up to 60 Wyevale stores during the Bank holiday weekend to tell customers that the chain’s purchasing policies allegedly help to destroy rainforests and fund Burma’s military dictatorship.
Wyevale responded by removing three Neptune Burmese teak furniture products from 40 stores and launching an investigation into the environmental group’s allegations.
A company spokesperson said: “Wyevale is now also in the process of discussing the matter further with Greenpeace.”
Wyevale said it had already recognised the need to improve its approach to sourcing wooden garden furniture by starting discussions with the Tropical Forest Trust in January.
This will involve a review of all its existing timber sourcing policies and a further review of its supply chain to ensure any appropriate measures are implemented.
Despite Wyevale’s action, Greenpeace says garden furniture made from south-east Asian rainforests is still on sale at the company’s stores.
The group has ranked Wyevale and Argos at the bottom of its new timber sourcing “league table” of garden furniture retailers.
