2017 Annual Report: Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil in the UK
Since 2009, the UK has seen a nearly six-fold increase in purchases of certified sustainable palm oil. In October 2018, Efeca shared the results of the UK Roundtable on Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil Annual Progress Report with the UK roundtable. We are delighted to now share our report with everyone. The report shows a general plateauing of CSPO consumption in the UK over the past 3 years. In 2016 UK purchases of palm oil supported by Mass Balance, Segregated, and Identity Preserved RSPO certification (not including RSPO credits) decreased by 0.15% since 2016 (when total purchases represented 328,139 mt). The rate of change has essentially plateaued in the last 2 years (in 2014 to 2015 total purchases increased by 12%, and from 2015 to 2016 by 1%). However overall, 2017 UK purchases of palm oil supported by Mass Balance, Segregated, and Identity Preserved RSPO certification (not including GreenPalm) have increased almost six-fold since 2009 (when total purchases represented 55,000 mt).
75% of total palm oil imports to the UK in 2017 is certified sustainable
According to FEDIOL figures, the volume accounted for by imports of Identity Preserved, Segregated and Mass Balance CSPO totals 327,653 mt (excluding PalmTrace and derivatives and finished goods), or 75% of total palm oil imports to the UK in 2017. RSPO credit purchases reduced by 51% from last year, likely due to January 2017 changes in the Book & Claim system, and the greater trend to move towards physical CSPO sourcing.
Work remains
While this headline figure shows a significant improvement on the 2009 baseline, it also highlights the ongoing effort needed to achieve 100% sourcing of certified sustainable palm oil. The fact that 25% of palm oil used in the UK remains conventional underscores gaps in CSPO adoption and reporting within certain sectors.
In a broader context, UK refiners account for 0.62% of the total global production of palm oil and palm kernel oil, which collectively amount to 75 million tonnes annually. Moreover, this represents 5.5% of the total consumption within the European Union. Despite the relatively small share of global consumption, it is crucial for the UK to maintain its leadership in sourcing sustainable palm oil. This leadership role not only influences European consumers but also involves sharing knowledge and best practices with partners in palm oil-producing countries.
Efforts towards sourcing sustainable palm oil are crucial in driving positive change across supply chains and promoting responsible practices worldwide.
