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Palm Oil Free List

A list of some UK products that are palm oil free or only use sustainable palm oil, from Ethical Consumer.

Inclusion in our palm oil free list

The companies on this list receive the best rating for palm oil in our shopping guides because they are palm oil-free or use best practice in their palm oil sourcing.

For best practice, a large company must have: 

  • all of the palm products used in its global supply chain certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) 
  • full disclosure of mills (and use none of the very worst mills) 
  • a publicly available grievance list (that says how workers have been adversely impacted at any mills)
  • at least 50% of palm sourced from segregated supply chains, rather than 'mass balance'. You can find an explanation of these terms on our RSPO explainer page.

Smaller companies may demonstrate engagement on this issue by sourcing palm oil that is certified as organic.

(Those brands rated best for palm oil are not necessarily rated best for overall corporate responsibility.)

The list is split into three sections:

 

A brief introduction to palm oil

Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil derived from palm oil fruit. It's said to be found in 50% of supermarket products, from food to cleaners to cosmetics.  

It's widely used for its properties (e.g., it's semi-solid at room temperature and acts as a natural preservative in processed foods) and because it is cheap. Its low price is partly due to its high yield but also because, as with other mass-produced crops, the environmental and social costs go unaccounted for.

Its production destroys rainforests and biodiversity. The plight of orangutans has been a key feature of palm oil campaigns, due to 80% of their habitat being destroyed in the last 20 years and the serious risk they face of extinction in our lifetime.

Social impacts are also wide-ranging, and economic gains are far from evenly distributed. 

Over 20 million people, comprising hundreds of distinct language groups, depend on Indonesia’s forests. Many traditional communities have lost their lands to plantations.

Demand for palm oil has grown phenomenally and is expected to more than double by 2030 and triple by 2050. 

 

Palm Oil Free Food

Biscuits

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Island Bakery All biscuits and oatcakes except Sweet FA biscuits, buy from Abel & Cole*. Oatcakes and Sweet FA range are vegan.
Amisa All biscuits - buy from Abel & Cole*
Biona All cripsbreads, spelt, corn and rice cakes - buy from Ethical Superstore*
Mr Organic

It is the only palm oil-free company in this sector. 

All biscuits palm oil free and vegan - buy from Abel & Cole*

Biscuits containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies get our best ratings for their palm oil policy and sell biscuits containing RSPO certified sustainable, Fairtrade or organic palm oil:

  • Island Bakery, use sustainable palm oil in Sweet FA biscuits
  • Against the Grain, use organic palm oil. All biscuits vegan and gluten free
  • Doves Farm, use organic palm oil. All biscuits are organic and vegan 
  • Biona, all biscuits and cookies contain organic palm oil. All vegan except blueberry and raspberry cookies.
  • Nairn's, all contain palm oil. Everything, except cheese and salted caramel varieties, is vegan.
  • Hill's, all contain palm oil. Some are vegan.

See our biscuits product guide to see how the companies compare on their overall corporate responsibility. 

 

Bread

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Biona All bread
Weight Watchers All bread
Warburtons Danish White, all gluten free bread

Bread containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies also make bread that contains RSPO certified sustainable or organic palm oil:

  • Weight Watchers, all RSPO certified
  • Warburtons, all RSPO certified

See our bread product guide to see how the companies compare on their overall corporate responsibility.

 

Breakfast Cereals

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Alara All products are palm oil free
Hodmedod All products are palm oil free
MOMA All products are palm oil free
Rude Health All products are palm oil free
Doves Farm palm oil free breakfast cereals, but use certified organic palm oil elsewhere in their product range.
Windmill (Amisa, Biofair, Biona) palm oil free breakfast cereals, but use certified organic palm oil elsewhere in their product range.
Essential no palm oil in their own-brand products and sell other products containing certified palm oil.
Infinity no palm oil in their own-brand products and sell other products containing certified palm oil.

Read our ethical shopping guide to breakfast cereals for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

Buy some of the recommended and best buy brands from Ethical Superstore* and Abel & Cole*.

 

Butter, Margarine & Spreads

Company Palm Oil Free
Dairy butters
Yeo Valley All butter and spreadable butter. Buy from Abel & Cole* 
Acorn Dairy All butter
All Things Butter All butter
Calon Wen All butter and spreadable butter
Delamere Goat's Butter All butter and spreadable butter
Graham's All butter and spreadable butter
Old Hall Farm All butter
St Helen's Farm All goat butters
Vegan butter and spreads
Mouse's Favourite Vegan 'butter'. Buy from Abel & Cole*
Naturli' Vegan Spreadable and Vegan Block (but its parent company scores a low rating for its use of palm oil).
Tiana Vegan cooking 'butter' and spreadable 'butter'
Flora and ProActiv All spreads and plant butters
Violife Viospread

Read our ethical shopping guide to spreads for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Chocolate Spread

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Vego   All palm oil free, Fairtrade, organic and dairy free 
Mr Organic   All palm oil free and organic and dairy free 
Biona All palm oil free and organic, 

Chocolate spread containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies also make chocolate spreads that contain RSPO certified sustainable, Fairtrade or organic palm oil:

  • Plamil, uses organic & RSPO certified
  • Essential, all RSPO certified
  • Vivani, all organic & RSPO certified

You can buy Vego, Bonsan, Plamil and Biona chocolate spreads via Ethical Superstore*, and filter for palm oil free or sustainable palm.

Chocolate and Gift Chocolates

Type of chocolate Brands 
All chocolate is palm oil free, organic, vegan and fair trade Monchoco - Buy from their website.
Pacari - Go to their online shop
Ombar - Buy from various shops including Ethical Superstore*
Vego - Buy from health food shops and online via Ethical Superstore*
Conscious Chocolate - Buy from health food shops and online via their website.
The Raw Chocolate Company - Buy from health food shops and online via Ethical Superstore*
All chocolate is palm oil free, organic and vegan Booja Booja - Buy from various shops or their website.
Moo Free - see their website
All chocolate is palm oil free, vegan and fair trade MIA - see their website
All chocolate is palm oil free, organic and fair trade Fairafric - see their website
'57 Chocolate - see their website
Cocoa Loco - Go to their online shop
All chocolate is palm oil free and fair trade Divine - Buy from Ethical Shop or Oxfam* or from Ethical Superstore*
Tony's Chocolonely - Buy from various shops including Ethical Superstore* and Oxfam*
Chocolat Madagascar - Buy from their website
All chocolate is palm oil free and organic Seed & Bean - Buy from their online shop, or high street shops, or from Ethical Superstore*
All chocolate is palm oil free and vegan Plamil - Buy from their website
LoveRaw - buy from Veo* or from Ethical Superstore*
All chocolate is palm oil free Montezuma - Go to their online shop, buy from high street shops, or online from Ethical Superstore*

 

Nut Butters

The following brands have palm oil free products: 

Company  Palm Oil Free Products
Suma   All palm oil free, all organic, some Fairtrade too
Meridian All palm oil free, some organic
Biona All palm oil free, all organic
Raw Health All palm oil free, all organic
Essential All palm oil free, all organic

You can buy Suma, Meridian, Biona and Essential brands from Ethical Superstore* where you can filter for palm free or sustainable palm.

 

Pet Food

Company Palm Oil Free Pet Food
Ami  All palm oil free
Beco All palm oil free
Dogmates All palm oil free
Inspired Pet Nutrition (Wagg, AATU, Harringtons, Barking Heads, Meowing Heads)  All palm oil free
MPM Products (Applaws and Encore)  All palm oil free
Pooch & Mutt All palm oil free
Power Pet Brands  All palm oil free
Scrumbles All products palm oil free, including pet food
Vegeco (Benevo)  All palm oil free
Yarrah All palm oil free
Yora The only company which had an explicit company-wide 'no palm oil' policy on its website

Shop these brands on the Ethical Superstore website.*

See our dog food guide and cat food guide to see how the companies compare on their overall corporate responsibility.

 

Supermarkets

100% palm oil free:  Riverford

See supermarkets guide for companies' overall rating. 

 

Palm Oil Free Health and Beauty

Deodorant

Company Palm oil free products
Lucy Bee All products
The Natural Deodorant Co All products
Nuud All products
Ethique All products
Ku.tis All products

The following companies got our best ratings for palm oil:

  • Odylique
  • Salt of the Earth
  • Lavera
  • Fussy

Read our ethical shopping guide to deodorant for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Makeup

Ethique was the only palm oil free company in this guide.

The following companies got our best ratings for palm oil:

  • PHB Ethical Beauty
  • Lavera
  • Odylique

Read our ethical shopping guide to make up for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Perfume

The following brands have palm oil free products: 

Company    Palm Oil Free Products  
Neal's Yard  All perfumes*
Dolma (palm oil free company) All products
Fairypants (palm oil free company) All products
Neom (palm oil free company) All products. 
Flaya (palm oil free company) All products

Perfume containing sustainable palm oil

The following company uses sustainable palm oil in their perfume:

  • Lush, sustainable palm oil

Read our ethical shopping guide to perfume for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Shampoo

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Caurnie Soap All shampoo
Pure Nuff Stuff All shampoo
Ethique All shampoo
Conscious Skincare All shampoo

Shampoos contain sustainable palm oil

The following companies may use RSPO certified sustainable or organic palm oil in their shampoo:

  • Odylique
  • Friendly Soap
  • PHB Ethical Beauty
  • Badger
  • Fill Refill
  • SESI
  • Miniml
  • Lavera
  • Eco Warrior

Read our ethical shopping guide to shampoo for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Shaving Gel & Foam

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Friendly Soap All products
Pure Nuff Stuff All products
Conscious Skincare All products

 

Shaving Gel and Foam containing sustainable palm oil

The following company uses sustainable palm oil in their shaving gel & foam:

  • Lush

 

Shower Gel

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Friendly Soap All products
Pure Nuff Stuff All products
Conscious Skincare All products

Shower gel containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies may use RSPO certified sustainable or organic palm oil in their shower gel:

  • Odylique
  • Little Soap Company
  • PHB Ethical Beauty
  • Suma
  • Weleda
  • Lush
  • Nivea

Read our ethical shopping guide to shower gel for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Skincare

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Lucy Bee All products
Pure Nuff Stuff All products
Conscious Skincare All products
Caurnie All products
Queenie Organics All products

The following companies get our best ratings for palm oil:

  • Lavera
  • Odylique
  • Miniml
  • Badger
  • PHB Ethical Beauty
  • SESI

Read our ethical shopping guide to skincare for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Soap

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Lucy Bee All products
Pure Nuff Stuff All products
Conscious Skincare All products
Caurnie All products

Soap containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies may use RSPO certified sustainable or organic palm oil in their soap:

  • Odylique
  • Little Soap Company
  • Lavera
  • Eco Warrior
  • Bio D
  • Friendly Soap

Read our ethical shopping guide to soap for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Sunscreen

Company Palm Oil Free Products
Lucy Bee All products
Shade All products

Sunscreen containing sustainable palm oil

The following companies only use RSPO certified sustainable or organic palm oil:

  • Odylique
  • Badger
  • Weleda
  • Nivea & Eucerin

Read our ethical shopping guide to sunscreen for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Toothpaste

Company Palm Oil Free Product
Georganics All products
Truthpaste All products
Nothing Wasted All products

The following company got our best rating for palm oil:

  • Lavera

Read our ethical shopping guide to toothpaste for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Palm Oil Free Household Products

Dishwasher Detergent

Company    Palm Oil Free Dishwasher Products  
Greenscents  all products

Read our ethical shopping guide to dishwasher detergents for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Laundry Detergents 

 

Company    Palm Oil Free Laundry Products  
Greenscents  all products
Friendly Soap all products

Read our ethical shopping guide to laundry detergents for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

Washing-up Liquid

Company    Palm Oil Free Washing Up Products  
Greenscents  all products
Friendly Soap 'kitchen bar' washing up solid bar

Read our ethical shopping guide to washing up liquid for companies' overall rating for corporate responsibility.

 

How we rate companies for Palm Oil policy

Large companies will get the highest rating if they use no palm ingredients at all. If they do use palm ingredients their rating will be better the more of the following criteria they satisfy: 

  • all palm ingredients are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
  • over 50% of their palm ingredients are certified to the more stringent RSPO standards - Segregated or Identity Preserved
  • they list their mills and producers
  • they are not using producers identified as having the most ineffective 'No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation' measures
  • they publish an annual grievance list

Medium and smaller companies can also get higher ratings if they are using organic certified palm ingredients.


Consumer Power 

As consumers we need to use our power at the check out to continue to drive change in the palm oil industry. Pushing companies to buy certified sustainable palm oil is one clear way of doing this.

There is a growing recognition that even if all the big western manufacturers stopped using palm oil, the problems of unsustainable production would not go away.

India and China each consume more palm oil than the EU, and production is projected to increase 50% by 2020. At the same time, Indonesia has just increased subsidies to boost palm oil production for biofuel.

If countries with more developed consumer campaigns turn away from palm oil altogether, the most damaging forms of production may prevail.

Buy or Boycott?

Consumers increasingly want to avoid the ingredient where possible, but it's a tricky task as it's used in so many products - more than 50% of packaged supermarket products from margarine and oven chips to soaps and detergents. 

We are urging readers to boycott products from companies that aren't using 100% certified palm oil now. Promising to source responsibly in the future is no longer good enough. You may also choose to avoid products containing any palm oil, whether it be certified or not.

*We have an affiliate deal with this shop. Ethical Consumer makes a small amount of money from your purchase. This goes to fund our research and campaigning. We ethically screen all the sites we link to.

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