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Brands and Companies that use Palm Oil

Companies and Brands to avoid over unsustainable palm oil use

The companies listed below all score our worst rating for their use of palm oil. 

This doesn't mean that all of the company's brands sell products containing palm oil, but if you want to avoid companies that contribute to the palm oil problem, then it's worth avoiding all their brands.

The companies listed here either failed to provide sufficient information on the criteria above or made no information on palm oil available at all:

Butter, margarine and spreads

  • BSA International (President)
  • First Grade International (Koko)
  • Kavli Trust (St Helen's)
  • Kerry Group (Pure Dairy Free)
  • Muller
  • Orkla (Naturli')
  • Saputo (Clover, Country Life, Utterly Butterly, Vitalite, Willow)

Shopping guide to butter and spreads

Bread

  • All About Food limited (Cranks)
  • Braces Bakery
  • Roberts Bakery
  • Dr Schar

Shopping guide to bread

Cereal

  • Garfield Weston (Jordans, Dorset)
  • Eat Natural
  • Post Holdings (Weetabix)
  • Associated British Foods (Primark, Kingsmill, Jordans)

Shopping guide to cereal

Food retailers

  • Aldi
  • Booths
  • Ocado
  • Spar

Shopping guide to supermarkets

NB - Iceland was removing palm oil from all its own-brand products, but from June 2022 will be re-using it because of supply issues and costs of sunflower oil due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Other food companies and brands

  • Monde Nissin (Quorn, Cauldron)
  • Vbites (sustainable palm)
  • Mitsubishi (Princes, Napolina, Aqua-Pura, Pura)
  • Eat Natural
  • Nature's Bounty (Julian Graves) (ultimately owned by Nestle)
  • Thai Union (John West, La Doria)
  • Food Heaven
  • Almond Dream
  • East End Foods
  • Müller
  • Koko

Drinks companies

  • Redbush Tea Co
  • Healthy Food Brands (Free and Easy, Plj)
  • SHS Group (Schloer, Bottle Green Drinks)
  • Nichols (Feel Good, Panda)
  • R. White's
  • Fruitshoot

Coffee shops

  • Soho Coffee Company
  • Caffè Nero
  • Caffè Ritazza
  • Coffee Republic
  • AMT Coffee
  • Esquires
  • Harris and Hoole
  • Muffin Break
  • Boston Tea Party
  • Puccino's
  • Bewley's

Shopping guide to coffee shops

Fast food and takeaways

  • Leon
  • Domino's Pizza
  • Yo! Sushi
  • Burger King
  • Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut, KFC)
  • Itsu
  • Subway
  • Greggs
  • Pret A Manger

Shopping guide to fast food chains

Restaurants

  • Wahaca
  • TGI Friday's
  • Giraffe
  • Mitchells and Butlers (Harvester, All Bar One)
  • Greene King
  • Whitbread
  • Pizza Express
  • The Restaurant Group (Chiquito, Frankie and Benny's, Wagamama)
  • Azzurri (ASK)
  • Jamie's Italian
  • Famous Brands (Gourmet Burger Kitchen)
  • Marston's
  • Wetherspoons

Shopping guide to restaurant chains

Pet food

  • Butcher's Pet Care

Perfume

  • Holland and Holland (Chanel perfume)
  • Shiseido Company Limited (Dolce and Gabbana perfume)
  • Inter Parfums (Jimmy Choo, Karl Lagerfield, Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith, Gap, Banana Republic perfumes)
  • Pacifica
  • Bliss
  • L'Occitane
  • Coty (Max Factor, Wella, plus perfumes for Adidas, Burberry, David Beckham, Calvin Klein)

Shopping guide to perfume and aftershave

Beauty products

  • Natura Cosmeticos (Aesop)
  • Suntory (F.A.G.E)
  • Wahl
  • The King of Shaves
  • Lansinoh (Earth Friendly Baby)
  • Baylis and Harding
  • Koa (John Frieda, Molton Brown)
  • Crystal Spring
  • PZ Cussons (Morning Fresh, Original Source Charles Worthington, Imperial Leather)
  • WBA Investments (Boots, No7, Soap and Glory, Botanics)
  • Tom's of Maine
  • Superdrug
  • Midsona (Urtekram)
  • Laverana (Lavera)
  • Logocos (Logana, Sante)
  • Li and Fung (Vosene, Clinomyn toothpaste)
  • Church and Dwight (Arm & Hammer, Pearl Drops, Arrid, Batiste)
  • Revlon (Revlon, Almay, Mitchum)
  • Bull Dog
  • Daniel Field 
  • Clarins 
  • Edgewell (Banana Boat, Wilkinson Sword, Carefree, Bulldog Skincare for men)
  • Holland and Barrett

Cleaning products

  • Mcbride (Frish, Surcare, Planet Clean, LimeLite)
  • The London Oil Refining Co Ltd (Astonish)
  • Enpac (Simply)
  • Lilly's Eco Clean
  • Active Brand Concepts (Homecare)
  • WD-40 (1001)
  • Jeyes (Jeyes, Bloo, Sanilav, Parozone)
  • Procter and Gamble (Fairy, Head and Shoulders, Pampers, Always)

Shopping guide to household cleaners

Palm oil: buy or boycott?

In this video we discuss 10 things you need to know about the world’s most controversial ingredient.

How we rate the companies on palm oil

These companies all score an Ethical Consumer worst rating for their palm oil policies.

Companies receive one of the following ratings in our Palm Oil column on our ethical score table.

This lists the requirements for large companies, though we're a bit more lenient with small and medium companies that have demonstrated a strong commitment to sourcing sustainable palm and derivatives.

Worst rating

Companies that demonstrate no or minimal commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil receive a worst rating (see middle rating for what is considered adequate commitment).

Middle rating

For large companies to score a middle rating, all palm oil and derivatives must be certified as sustainable by the RSPO - but this alone isn’t adequate. They must also do one of the following: list all their mills and producers, ensure that at least 50% of their palm oil comes from Segregated or Identity Preserved mechanisms, or publish an annual grievance list.

Best rating

We give companies a best rating if they don't use any palm oil or derivatives.

Large companies can also score a best rating if all palm oil and derivatives are certified by the RSPO, with at least 50% coming from segregated or identity preserved mechanisms, they list all their mills and producers, and publish an annual grievance list. And they should ensure none of their producers are on a list of suppliers that lack ‘No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation’ policies.

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