Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Palm oil is one of the most commonly used ingredients in food and personal care products worldwide. While not inherently harmful, its unsustainable production has contributed to serious environmental issues, including deforestation and biodiversity loss, particularly in regions like Borneo and Sumatra. In response, leading confectionery manufacturer Ferrero is working with Chester Zoo to improve […]
Palm oil is one of the most commonly used ingredients in food and personal care products worldwide. While not inherently harmful, its unsustainable production has contributed to serious environmental issues, including deforestation and biodiversity loss, particularly in regions like Borneo and Sumatra.
In response, leading confectionery manufacturer Ferrero is working with Chester Zoo to improve the environmental sustainability of palm oil through education, advocacy, and responsible sourcing.
Despite its environmental impact when unsustainably sourced, palm oil has become the world’s most widely used vegetable oil for a reason. It is:
Incredibly efficient, producing more oil per hectare than any other crop.
Semi-solid at room temperature, making it ideal for processed foods and cosmetics.
Cost-effective, due to high yields and long shelf life.
These qualities make replacing it difficult without switching to alternative oils that require more land, water, and chemical inputs, potentially worsening environmental damage. Understanding its role in global supply chains helps highlight why sustainable sourcing, not boycotting, is the most effective path forward.
Ferrero, known for brands like Nutella, Kinder, Tic Tac, and Ferrero Rocher, is a major player in the UK confectionery market. Through this influence, the company is prioritising sustainability in its supply chain, with a particular focus on palm oil.
Ferrero is committed to using RSPO-certified segregated palm oil, which is fully traceable to individual plantations. This ensures that the palm oil used in its products is sourced without contributing to deforestation, and that it meets stringent environmental and human rights standards.
The company uses satellite monitoring technology, in partnership with Sourcemap and Starling (developed by Airbus and Earthworm Foundation), to track sourcing areas. This technology provides transparency and accountability from plantation to product.
As of 2024, Ferrero has achieved 97% traceability for its palm oil supply and has mapped over 90% of its key ingredients to their origins. These efforts helped Ferrero rank 2nd in the 2024 WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard.
Ferrero’s partnership with Chester Zoo supports a wider movement to promote responsible palm oil sourcing. Together, they aim to raise awareness, dispel myths, and encourage informed consumer choices.
Cat Barton, Chester Zoo’s Policy Lead for Science, leads projects across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil, which are key regions impacted by deforestation due to commodity production. Her work helps shape land-use strategies that protect forests and support wildlife, while working with governments, producers, and certification bodies.
According to Barton, sustainable palm oil, when done correctly, can actually support better biodiversity outcomes than alternative vegetable oils, because it yields significantly more oil per hectare, up to 10 times more than crops like sunflower or rapeseed. This means it requires less land overall, helping to preserve more natural habitats.
Despite widespread use of palm oil in products from food to cosmetics, public understanding remains limited. Ferrero’s research shows that while 62% of UK consumers are aware of palm oil, only 11% understand what “sustainable palm oil” means.
One key challenge is the “palm oil free” movement, which, according to Barton, can be misleading. Replacing palm oil with other oils often results in greater environmental harm, due to higher land use requirements. Educating consumers about these trade-offs is central to Ferrero and Chester Zoo’s efforts.
Charlie Cayton, Ferrero UK & Ireland’s Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, notes that 71% of consumers say they would be more likely to choose products with sustainable palm oil if they better understood the benefits. This makes education and transparency critical in shaping consumer behaviour.
To further raise awareness, Ferrero and Chester Zoo have also hosted educational sessions, including one featuring wildlife broadcaster Lizzie Daly, to engage and inspire young people around the importance of sustainable sourcing.
Ferrero’s approach to sustainable palm oil demonstrates how large manufacturers can play a constructive role in addressing environmental challenges. By committing to certified, traceable sourcing and partnering with organisations like Chester Zoo, Ferrero is working to transform palm oil from a problem into part of the solution.
This collaboration offers a blueprint for other companies seeking to reduce their environmental impact while supporting global biodiversity and sustainable development.
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