Brand pressures

It has become clear to the BFM that many multiples and some independent furniture retail stores will expect their furniture suppliers to satisfy them that the product is legally sourced in accordance with the EUTR. This means that even if a company is classified as a trader, the retailer will expect proof of legality and therefore the furniture supplier (even though not the ‘operator’) will need to obtain from its immediate supplier any relevant information and documentation that the retailer requires.

This is all about brand and reputation. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has produced guidance for its members on what they should expect from their suppliers.

ekonglong furniture

Seats exempted

The EUTR, for no logical reason we can ascertain, excludes seats from its scope, and this therefore means that a sofa, for example, could be imported from a country outside of the EU and contain illegally-sourced wood, but would not be subject to the due diligence requirement. However, if a furniture manufacturer brought in wood direct from outside of the EU to make a sofa, that wood would be subject to the EUTR and its due diligence requirements.

Why are seats exempt? The reason it seems is that seats were simply overlooked by the legislators. The BFM, through the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), and through the European employers’ association for the furniture and wood industry (UEA), are lobbying on this issue, and we understand that seats will be included within the EUTR at some future point. Also, it is worth stating that this exemption will be ignored by many retailers if they are keen to protect their reputation.