An investigation has revealed that banned Russian timber has been relabelled and sold into the UK market, raising concerns over compliance, traceability and the integrity of housing sector supply chains
Timber illegally sourced from Russia has been found in the UK housing supply chain, according to an investigation by Australian forensic supply chain specialist Source Certain.
Imports of Russian timber were prohibited in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. However, the investigation identified a smuggling operation that concealed the timber’s origin by relabelling it as material from the Baltic States, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The findings raise concerns for the housing and construction sectors, where suppliers investing in certified and responsibly sourced timber face higher operational costs. Industry voices warn that without effective monitoring, compliant businesses are being undercut and the credibility of the wider supply chain is being damaged.
In response, UK-based Think Timber has introduced a packaging system designed to provide traceability from forest to building site. Each pack incorporates a unique QR code that, when scanned, verifies the chain of custody and origin of the material.
“Traceability shouldn’t be a luxury but a standard across the whole industry,” said Gavin Brown, chief executive officer at Think Timber. “If illegal timber can be smuggled into our country and used to build our homes without any knowledge, how can we claim to build 1.5 million homes responsibly, the goal that the government has set over five years?”
Brown called for tighter regulation, stronger enforcement and the inclusion of clear product specification requirements in new housing guidelines. “If timber can pass unchecked, what’s to stop other products from doing the same? We need sustainable, legal sourcing to be the baseline at every level of construction,” he said.
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