Our Partners
A campaign around one simple question...
We ask where our food comes from.
Why don't we ask where our charcoal comes from?
What is Back British Charcoal?
Back British Charcoal is a public awareness campaign encouraging people to think differently about the charcoal they buy.
Most of us have become used to asking questions about our food. Where was it grown? How was it produced? Who made it?
Yet very few of us ask the same questions about the fuel beneath that food.
The campaign exists to change that.
Not by telling people what to buy, but by encouraging them to ask better questions.
Why now?
Consumers have never been more interested in provenance.
We read food labels, support local producers and think carefully about quality. Charcoal has simply been left out of that conversation.
Back British Charcoal asks whether it should be.
How?
Supported by Grown in Britain and the National Coppice Federation, the campaign brings together industry, woodland and conservation voices behind a shared ambition—to help consumers better understand the story behind the charcoal they buy.
The campaign launches as new trade data reveals that the UK imported more than 100,000 tonnes of charcoal in 2024, reflecting Britain's continued reliance on overseas supply.
Analysis by the National Coppice Federation also found that imported charcoal accounted for around 94% of charcoal used in Britain between 2011 and 2020, demonstrating that this dependence has been a long-term trend. During that period, approximately 24,000 tonnes originated from countries considered to be at higher risk of deforestation.
The Campaign Is Built Around Three Themes
People
Encouraging greater awareness of transparency and traceability throughout the charcoal supply chain, celebrating the people who produce, manage and use British charcoal.
Planet
Highlighting how responsibly managed British woodlands —including traditional practices such as coppicing— can support biodiversity, woodland resilience and rural skills. By creating value for woodland products such as charcoal, active woodland management becomes more economically viable.
Food
Food
Championing high-quality natural charcoal and encouraging consumers to think about the fuel beneath their food in the same way they increasingly think about the provenance of the food they eat.
The campaign also highlights the role quality charcoal can play in the cooking experience. Just as chefs carefully select their ingredients, the fuel used to cook them matters too. Responsibly produced natural hardwood charcoal can help deliver a cleaner burn and allow the natural flavours of food to take centre stage.