Nestlé Northern Sweden sourcing will end after the company confirmed it will stop buying virgin fibre from suppliers linked to environmental and social controversies in the region.
The decision follows years of work by Nestlé to address risks related to land use, biodiversity, and indigenous community rights in Northern Sweden.
In an updated statement published on its official website on October 31, 2025, Nestlé said it had “reconsidered our business relationships with suppliers involved in sourcing controversies” and “decided to cease sourcing virgin fibre from suppliers involved in controversy in Northern Sweden.”
According to the same update, Nestlé has already reduced its demand for fibre from the area by around 80 percent, with a 95 percent reduction planned by March 2026.
Nestlé’s latest Responsible Sourcing Disclosure for Pulp and Paper lists the Obbola mill, operated by Sweden’s forest company SCA, as one of the sites where the company has requested “a significant decrease in volumes.”
While Nestlé did not name SCA directly in its public statement, the disclosure confirms that the reduction is under implementation and “closely monitored.”
Environmental organisations, including Greenpeace Sweden and Protect the Forest, welcomed the move. They have long criticised large-scale logging in Northern Sweden for harming biodiversity and threatening reindeer-grazing lands used by Sámi communities.
The NGOs interpreted Nestlé’s decision as a signal for other global buyers of pulp and paper to review their sourcing in the region.
Nestlé has also classified Northern Sweden as a “biodiversity hotspot” and said it expects “higher conservation efforts and stronger social and land-rights considerations” to be applied in future sourcing decisions.
Why It Matters
For the packaging and retail sectors, the decision marks a significant shift in how multinational FMCG companies manage forest-based materials. Nestlé’s step reflects the growing pressure on global brands to prove that every part of their supply chain meets strict sustainability and human-rights standards.
Note: This article is based on verified official information from Nestlé’s website (updated October 31, 2025: “What is Nestlé’s position on paper sourcing from Northern Sweden?” and “Responsible Sourcing Disclosure – Pulp & Paper”), supported by public reporting from Greenpeace Sweden, Protect the Forest Sweden, and Sweden Herald.
