Most UK palm oil imports are now from sustainable sources, according to latest data from the environment department (Defra).
Most UK palm oil imports are now from sustainable sources, according to latest data from the environment department (Defra). The government pledged in 2012 to obtain 100% of palm oil from certified sources by the end of 2015.
In its final annual progress review, Defra said 87% of UK palm oil imports have certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), based on Oil World data.
Under this measure, 62% of imported palm oil was from ‘segregated and mass balance’ palm oil, which is derived from a mix of certified and non-certified sources.
The equivalent figure in 2010 was 15%. Companies bought certificates (GreenPalm) from suppliers of certified palm oil for 25% of imports, up from 19% in 2010. Overall, imports of RSPO-certified palm oil more than tripled between 2010 and 2015.