May 7, 2026
Global report shows retailers still falling short on sustainable chocolate
The 7th edition Chocolate Scorecard reveals uneven progress and gaps in retailer accountability and transparency in cocoa sustainability
A global report into the chocolate industry has found that while some companies are improving their sustainability practices, many retailers are still failing to ensure transparent and accountable cocoa supply chains that would protect cocoa farming communities.
The 7th Edition Chocolate Scorecard, released Thursday 7 May by Be Slavery Free, highlights the industry’s uneven progress across eight key areas – traceability, living income, child and forced labour, deforestation, agroforestry, pesticides, gender, and health – with gaps particularly evident in retailers’ own-brand products.
University of Wollongong (UOW) Associate Professor Stephanie Perkiss from the School of Business is part of the Chocolate Scorecard team and sits on its Data Ethics and Integrity Committee. She recently co-authored a report on Cocoa Sustainability for Retailers, 2026.
“Consumers increasingly want to make ethical choices, but they depend on retailers to make those choices possible through transparency and responsible sourcing. This year’s Scorecard shows that progress is happening, but it is inconsistent, and too often accountability is fragmented,” she said.
Dr Stephanie Perkiss says the Scorecard and the Cocoa Sustainability report highlight a persistent gap between consumer expectations and retailer accountability.
The annual Scorecard evaluates major chocolate companies on sustainability performance and tracks transparency and accountability across global supply chains. This year it assessed 49 companies. Its release comes ahead of Mother's Day, one of the biggest chocolate-buying occasions of the year, putting renewed focus on the sustainability of popular gifts.
Dr Perkiss says the Scorecard and the Cocoa Sustainability report highlight a persistent gap between consumer expectations and retailer accountability.
“During occasions like Mother's Day, consumers buy chocolate as a gesture of care and generosity, but behind that gift can be complex supply chains that don’t always reflect those values,” Dr Perkiss said.
The Scorecard points to a broader trend across the industry, where improved monitoring has not yet translated into improved outcomes for cocoa-growing communities. While the industry has made significant advances in understanding its supply chains, translating that knowledge into fairer outcomes for farmers and more sustainable practices remains a challenge.
Dr Perkiss presented at the official launch of the report on Thursday 7 May alongside NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dr James Cockayne.
