WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL AND WHY DO WE USE IT ASPART OF A BALANCE DIET?

• Palm oil has specific functional properties that make it a key ingredient in food manufacturing (e.g. providing texture, spread-ability, shelf-life).

• Palm oil contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in near equal amounts. Exceeding recommended intakes for saturated fats from any source is undesirable. It is the fatty acid composition of the whole food consumed that should be considered, rather than the individual oil or fat the fatty acid comes from.

• The body needs fats every day. They provide energy and they contain and facilitate the absorption of vitamins.

• The European food industry is and has been committed for several years to optimising the nutrient composition of its products on a voluntary basis.

• Palm oil is a positive alternative to partially hydrogenated oils which contain trans fatty acids.

WHY DO WE SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL?

• The European food industry is at the forefront of driving awareness by working closely with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and taking action in cooperation with other stakeholders, NGOs, governments and retailers.

• The European food industry is concerned about the potential long-term environmental and social impacts of tropical deforestation and is actively committed to increasing the use of certified sustainable palm oil.

• Palm provides an important source of revenue for millions of smallholder farmers in South East Asia and Africa. It plays a vital role in rural development and poverty reduction in producing countries.

• Palm oil, when produced sustainably, can make an important contribution towards the sustainability of food production and consumption.

WHY DISCRIMINATION OF SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

• ‘Palm oil free’ claims are not the route to a sustainable supply chain. Making negative palm oil claims undermines all the activities and commitments on sustainable palm oil.

• Taxes and limits imposed on food products due to their content in palm oil and derived oils are discriminatory, inefficient and counterproductive.