Environmentalists accused US household products giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) yesterday of being responsible for the destruction of swathes of Indonesian rainforest.

Greenpeace said the company was using palm oil from suppliers linked to the destruction of the ancient woodlands.

It linked a Malaysian supplier to P&G with highly polluting forest fires in Sumatra last June.

P&G is the latest company to be targeted by Greenpeace as the group seeks to embarrass major firms over sourcing Indonesian palm oil and paper from suppliers that cause environmental destruction.

Greenpeace says the expansion of palm oil plantations is destroying the habitat of endangered orangutans and tigers.

P&G uses palm oil in household products including Head & Shoulders and Pantene shampoos and Gillette shaving gel.

“The maker of Head & Shoulders needs to stop bringing rainforest destruction into our showers,” said Greenpeace forest campaign head Bustar Maitar.

“It must clean up its act and guarantee to its customers that these products are forest-friendly.”

P&G was not immediately available for comment yesterday.

Greenpeace urged P&G to join other leading companies which have committed to implementing a no-deforestation policy.

Greenpeace’s campaigns have caused several global companies, including Unilever, Nestle and L’Oreal, to publicly commit to zero deforestation in coming years.

Many palm oil and paper companies have made such commitments after losing major clients because of Greenpeace campaigns.

Illegal logging and poor law enforcement have meant that deforestation is rampant in Indonesia.