Soy
Due to its high consumption, soy is one of the main agricultural products worldwide. In our Private Brand and perishable products, soy appears in two forms: directly, in drinks, oils, and other soy-based food products, and indirectly, through its inclusion in animal feed used to produce animal-based goods such as eggs, milk, cheese, meat and fish from aquaculture.
Our strategy is aligned with Element 1 of the FPCoA soy roadmap and involves two levels of action:
- increasing traceability at the agricultural production level, reducing uncertainty about the origin of soy;
- ensuring sustainable sourcing whenever soy comes from countries with risk of deforestation, such as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Beyond these commitments, we have set additional goals – one of which is to ensure that, by 2025, soy in our Private Brand and perishable products is free from deforestation (legal or illegal) and from the conversion of High Conservation Value (HCV) ecosystems, while also guaranteeing respect for human rights throughout the production chain. To this end, we have adopted 31 December 2020 as the cut-off date for deforestation and conversion, except in cases where sector-specific cut-off dates already exist, such as the Soy Moratorium in the Amazon, which sets 22 July 2008 as the reference date, or other dates established by law.
We are committed to ensuring that, by 2025, 100% of direct and indirect soy is traceable at least to the country of origin and, whenever it comes from locations where the risk is not negligible, it is traceable to the municipality of origin and/or certified as sustainable (e.g., RTRS or ProTerra).
Mapping the supply chains of indirect soy is a challenge for food retailers, as soy is often purchased through indirect suppliers. In these cases, none of our direct suppliers purchase soy directly, but rather animal-based products from supply chains where, in earlier and often distant stages of their operations, animals were fed with soy. This complexity requires a collaborative approach to identify the origin of the feed ingredients used in animal nutrition.
To mitigate the risks of deforestation and ecosystem conversion associated with soy production, we track and monitor the flow of indirect soy through industry associations and initiatives such as the FPCoA.
Progress in 2024
Our soy consumption includes 100% of both direct soy (such as soy-based drinks, soy sauces, lecithin and soy oils) and indirect soy (all types of soy used in animal feed to produce goods such as eggs, milk, cheese, meat and fish from aquaculture) present in the Private Brand and perishable products we sell in the countries where we operate.
This consumption is calculated annually based on the CGF’s Soy Measurement Guidelines, which account for five levels of measurement:
- Tier 1 – Soy purchased directly and derived products (such as soy-based drinks, soy sauces, lecithin, soy oils, and edamame) that contain more than 95% soy;
- Tier 2 – Soy used in the feed of animals such as cattle, pigs, poultry and fish from aquaculture; fresh meat and fish products;
- Tier 3 – Soy used in the feed of laying hens and dairy cows, among others, for the production of eggs and dairy products (such as yoghurts or milkshakes) where more than 95% of the product consists of these ingredients;
- Tier 4a – Soy used in the feed of animals that produce processed products (such as ready meals, sausages, etc.), where the meat or fish represents less than 95% of the final product;
- Tier 4b – Soy used in the feed of animals that produce food products (such as cakes, milkshakes, and ice cream) where eggs and dairy represent less than 95% of the total product;
- Tier 5 – Includes all other soy derivatives that may be present in the supply chain, including lecithin in chocolate and soy oil in margarine, as well as soy by-products in personal care and cosmetic products where soy accounts for less than 95% of the total product composition.
In 2024, our direct and indirect soy consumption – considering all five tiers described above and present in our full range of Private Brand and perishable products – amounted to 513,486 tonnes.
Direct soy (notably oils and plant-based drinks) accounted for 4% of our total consumption – a 10% decrease compared to 2023, mainly due to reformulations in the composition of vegetable oils containing soy in the Private Brand products of our banner in Colombia.
Indirect soy, used in animal feed, accounts for 96% of the total soy consumption in our Private Brand and perishable products (tiers 2, 3, 4a and 4b). The vast majority (80%) is linked to specialised perishable in the categories of meat and fish from aquaculture (tier 2) and non-specialised perishables, such as eggs and dairy products (tier 3). The remaining 16% is associated with processed foods (such as ready meals and sausages) that contain animal-based ingredients.
Approximately 57% of the soy consumed in 2024 was linked to poultry feed (down 4 percentage points from 2023), 18% to pig feed (up 4 percentage points compared to 2023), and 10% to egg production (down 1 percentage point from 2023).
Soy footprint by tier (2024)
Soy footprint by ingredient (2024)
In 2024, we continued our work on soy traceability and were able to identify the origin of 95% of the total soy present in our supply chains at least to the country of production, an improvement of 2 percentage points compared to 2023. The origin of the remaining 5% could not be determined. This progress reflects the commitment and joint efforts of our suppliers to improve traceability within their own supply chains. In 2025, we will continue to collaborate with our suppliers, with a particular focus on eggs and poultry and pork meat, given their significance in our supply chain.
Approximately 64% of the soy used in our Private Brand and perishable products (mainly indirect soy) came from countries at risk of deforestation, a decrease of 6 percentage points compared to 2023 (in 2024, the FPCoA revised its list of risk countries: Bolivia and Uruguay were removed, while Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay remain included). Of this soy, 17% was certified as sustainable (e.g., RTRS and ProTerra), an increase of 7 percentage points from 2023.
Assuming the methodology for DCF (Deforestation and Conversion-Free) calculation, we can estimate that in 2024, 44.2% (227,107 tonnes) of our total soy consumption was free from deforestation and conversion of HCV ecosystems. Of this, 35.7% (183,334 tonnes) was considered to have negligible risk, and 8.5% (43,773 tonnes) was covered by physical certification schemes. This 44.2% represents an increase of approximately 19 percentage points compared to the previous year, due to the rise in soy sourced from countries with negligible risk and the certification of soy from countries with non-negligible risk. We are working towards achieving a level of traceability that allows us to ensure that, even when soy originates from these countries, it is not associated with deforestation or HCV ecosystem conversion.
Considering the direct soy flow, we estimate that in 2024, 85.4% (17,986 tonnes) of our total consumption of this type of soy was free from deforestation and conversion of HCV ecosystems (with negligible risk accounting for nearly all soy considered DCF).
For the indirect soy flow, we estimate that in 2024, 42.5% (209,121 tonnes) of our total consumption of this type of soy was free from deforestation and conversion of HCV ecosystems. Negligible risk accounted for 33.6% (165,362 tonnes), and physical certification schemes for 8.9% (43,759 tonnes). These results reflect the greater complexity associated with the indirect soy supply chain.
Our soy consumption considered as “in progress towards DCF” represented 5% of the total, corresponding to 26,376 tonnes. This amount refers to indirect soy of unknown origin, where it was possible to trace either the origin of the raw material (dairy, chicken and pork) or the origin of the animal feed. One of the collective goals of the FPCoA is to collaborate with sectoral associations to address the traceability challenge in the value chain.
For soy originating from countries with deforestation and conversion risk, RTRS credits purchased by our suppliers (a way to contribute to the transition to sustainable soy production) represent about 5% of our consumption. In 2025, in collaboration with our suppliers, we aim to shift part of these credits to physical certification schemes, with the goal of increasing our DCF volumes.
For more information, please refer to our Annual Progress Report available on the Round Table on Responsible Soy website.
Engagement with suppliers and traders
As a member of the FPCoA, and within the scope of Element 2 of the soy roadmap, our commitment includes engaging with Private Brand and perishable product suppliers by informing them of our goals and progress, and encouraging them to adopt the same commitments within their own operations. In 2024, as in previous years, we once again communicated our commitments, progress and policies regarding our contribution to a forest-positive future to all our suppliers.
In 2024, we continued to identify the policies and measures implemented by our most relevant direct suppliers – who represent over 80% of our soy consumption – regarding deforestation prevention and respect for human rights, both within their operations and upstream in their supply chains. We also assessed the existence of mechanisms to control deforestation and ecosystem conversion, such as adequate traceability, cut-off dates, and monitoring systems. This analysis enables us to understand the different levels of our supply chain and to encourage all actors to align with the same commitments throughout their activities.
At the same time, we actively collaborate with our direct suppliers to improve awareness of the certification systems available on the market, with a particular focus on standards recognised by RTRS and ProTerra, which we prioritise.
In 2024, as part of our involvement in the FPCoA, we once again participated in working sessions with several traders and collaborated with the Soy Transparency Coalition (STC), a coalition that evaluates the performance of major traders in relation to their policies and progress towards FPCoA goals, aiming to eliminate deforestation and ecosystem conversion, as well as ensuring respect for human rights across these complex supply chains.
In 2024, we were able to identify the upstream traders of our direct suppliers responsible for 70% of our soy consumption originating from countries at risk of deforestation and conversion. The traders responsible for 22% of this consumption were assessed by CDP – Disclosure Insight Action (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), all of whom received a B rating in the Forests programme.
Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus and Viterra are the most prominent traders in our supply chain. The coalition will continue to work with traders to foster partnerships that contribute to a forest-positive future.
In the coming years, we will assess the contribution of our direct suppliers to a supply chain that promotes a forest-positive future. This assessment will cover their deforestation policies, the level of traceability of soy origin, the implementation of verification mechanisms and their knowledge of their own supply chains, including the traders with whom they have direct or indirect commercial relationships.