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Retailers have a role to play in ensuring products are sustainably sourced, experts say.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor Terry van Gevelt, an urban sustainability expert at Singapore Management University, said supermarkets are in a stronger position to demand information from suppliers.<\/p>\n
“Supermarkets have a disproportionate amount of power in terms of how they can push through the supply chain,” he said.<\/p>\n
“They also have the capacity to understand these labels at a greater degree than consumers.”<\/p>\n
He said supermarkets can press suppliers for information on where products come from and whether they are certified, making them an effective point of pressure along the supply chain.<\/p>\n
Singapore has taken steps to encourage more responsible sourcing.<\/p>\n
The Singapore Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (SASPO), formed after public outcry over the 2015 haze, has worked with businesses to increase demand for certified palm oil and improve sourcing practices.<\/p>\n
The government’s latest action has also brought corporate accountability into sharper focus.<\/p>\n
In addition to the preventive notices issued to 10 Indonesian companies, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has issued notices seeking information from 10 Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry firms. A new specialist panel will also help investigate corporate relationships and supply chains across borders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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