Protecting Natural Resources

As a retailer of animal-derived products, we recognize our responsibility to uphold animal welfare within our supply chain. We expect our suppliers to uphold the Five Freedoms framework for animal welfare, which mandates freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury, or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.

We expect our suppliers to comply with all applicable laws and to take a zero-tolerance approach to animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect. We encourage suppliers to continually improve their animal welfare standards and practices, and to work toward recognized animal welfare certifications or industry guidelines that include welfare provisions. For information about animal welfare at Whole Foods Market, see our Meat Department Quality Standards.

By 2025, source private brands beef from regions of low deforestation risk or with full supply chain traceability, demonstrating the products did not contribute to deforestation.

By 2025, source private brands chocolate bars, chocolate chips, and baking chocolate/powder products that are certified by Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, Fair Trade USA, or other independently verified third-party certifications, such as Cocoa Horizons.

By 2025, source private brands packaged bean, ground, instant, and liquid coffee products that are Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, or Fair Trade USA certified.

Source all cotton for Amazon private brands apparel products from more sustainable sources, which we define as being sourced from recycled materials, from farms certified as producing organic cotton, or through the Better Cotton Initiative.

All Amazon private brands and national brands shell and liquid egg selections sold in North America are cage-free. All Amazon private brands shell eggs sold in Europe are free-range or barn-raised. All products sold in Whole Foods Market dairy cases, own kitchens, and bakeries in the U.S. meet Whole Foods Market’s Animal Welfare Standards for Laying Hens.

Source leather apparel and shoe products from more sustainable sources, which we define as being sourced from tanneries that meet the Leather Working Group’s Bronze-level or higher. Amazon did not source any private brands apparel or shoes made from leather in 2023.

Source manufactured cellulosic fibers used in Amazon private brands apparel products—including rayon, viscose, lyocell, and modal—from more sustainable sources. We use the nonprofit Canopy’s tools and reports to help avoid fibers sourced from endangered forests, endangered species’ habitats, or other controversial sources.

Amazon uses palm oil certified against sustainability standards in our Private Brands food and nonfood grocery products in North America and Europe. In a small number of cases, palm oil credits may be used to cover small volumes and complex derivatives. We revisit these cases annually with applicable suppliers and agree on plans to transition to physically certified palm oil where possible. In addition, all 365 by Whole Foods Market-brand food items containing palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm fruit oil, and palm shortening are produced using sustainable oil products. Whole Foods Market is committed to expanding this sourcing standard to nonfood items under its exclusive brands.

Source private brands paper products that are either recycled or certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standards.

This applies to Amazon private brands paper towel, toilet paper, facial tissue, baking paper, coffee filter, paper dishware, and napkin products. We strive to use sustainably sourced fiber in our grocery and consumable private brands paper-based primary packaging.

All fresh pork sold in the Whole Foods Market meat department in the U.S. and Canada is crate-free and certified by the Global Animal Partnership. By the end of 2025, source private brands pork and bacon products sold in North America gestation crate-free. All private brands fresh pork products are certified by Red Tractor in the UK.

Increase the use of recycled fabrics in Amazon private brands apparel products, including moving from conventional to recycled polyester and launching products made from innovative recycled fibers.

Source Amazon private brands seafood products that have a third-party sustainability certification or are actively working toward certification or engaged in a fishery improvement project (FIP). This applies to fresh or frozen single-ingredient products as well as to any product in which seafood makes up more than 5% or is in the top three ingredients.

All fresh and frozen seafood in the Whole Foods Market Seafood department must be Responsibly Farmed or sustainable wild-caught (including frozen and breaded options, appetizers, smoked seafood and seafood dips). This applies wherever the seafood is sourced. Canned tuna must be sustainable wild-caught and traceable to the boats.

Within North America, we determined through a risk assessment review that the majority of the soy in our Private Brands animal protein and meat counter supply chains is domestically sourced, and thus is unlikely to pose a deforestation risk.

Within Europe, Amazon’s goal is that the soy in our Grocery and Consumable Private Brands supply chains will be deforestation free by the end of 2025, with a cut-off date of 2020 (meaning that the soy has not been sourced from land that has been subject to deforestation since the end of 2020).

By 2025, source private brands bagged tea products based on the tea leaf (camellia sinensis) certified by Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, or Fair Trade USA.