Tesco and Boots in palm oil shame

WWF report names UK food producers as buyers of unsustainable palm oil which contributes to clearance of virgin rainforest in tropical areas. Only Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer and a small number of other companies have made clear progress in sourcing sustainable palm oil the survey of leading European food and household firms reports.

Continental retailers came out worst in the survey of 59 firms, with many French, German and Dutch chains making no effort to prevent the huge problems caused by the oil’s production.

Palm oil is the cheapest vegetable to produce and is found in biscuits, soap and chocolate among other food stuffs and biofuel for power stations. However, although the production of palm oil has brought much needed revenue to remote regions, it’s production has led to severe deforestation, human rights abuses and loss of endangered wildlife in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Sustainable palm oil can be bought through the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (Rspo) which sets environmental standards for this huge industry, primarily to ban the planting of palms on virgin ground cleared of forest. WWF hopes the naming and shaming will encourage companies to act on this issue and source more sustainably produced palm oil. Read more.