Coles is proud to announce that we have joined the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil and we are committed to using only certified sustainable palm oil in all Coles branded products by 2015.
About Palm Oil
Palm oil is a key ingredient in many food products as well as a wide range of products such as soaps, detergents and biofuels. As you may be aware, palm oil itself is not the issue, the impact is due to unsustainable farming techniques used in the developing countries where oil palms are grown.
Palm oil can only be grown in certain areas of Asia, Africa and South America and local farmers in these regions have expanded their crops into forest regions. More than 80% of the world’s palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia and de-foresting practices in these countries have caused a threat to the orang-utan.
Palm oil production is the primary income source for the remote and regional communities in the developing countries where it is produced. It is estimated that millions of people in Malaysia and Indonesia alone rely on income from palm oil production.
Whilst we acknowledge and share the concerns of our customers on the impact that palm oil production is having on the environment and the welfare of animals, immediate bans on palm oil will leave these communities without a source of income.
As eliminating the use of palm oil would devastate thousands of farming families in developing countries, we are committed to working towards more sustainable palm oil and preventing deforestation, while continuing to support the communities that rely on its production.
Our Commitment
Coles is committed to using only certified sustainable palm oil in all Coles branded products by 2015. Certified sustainable palm oil is produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
In order to achieve this target, we are already working closely with our suppliers to ensure that we can deliver on this commitment. Coles is proud to be a member of the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and we have embraced the Principles & Criteria for Sustainable Palm Oil Production. See the RSPO website for further details www.rspo.org
Presently, certified sustainable palm oil only accounts for less than 10% of global total palm oil supply, so there is a gap between the quantity required by all product manufacturers and the amount that is available. This is why we need to work over time with suppliers to secure a supply of sustainable palm oil.
While we work to address the supply issue, we have taken steps to ensure we operate responsibly and care for the environment.
Palm Oil Labelling
We have made a commitment to labelling palm oil where it is used in Coles branded products make it easier for our customers to make informed purchasing decisions when they shop at Coles. Our policy ensures that we always identify palm oil instead of using the term 'blended vegetable oils'.
Product Development
We have developed our cleaning and laundry product range, Coles Green Choice, with palm oil sourced from sustainable sources.
We have developed Coles soap bars with coconut oil and none of our Coles soap bar range, including; Coles Revitalising Citrus Fresh Soap, Coles Soothing Lavender Soap and Coles Nourishing Shea Butter, contain palm oil.
We remove palm oil from our products wherever possible. We have removed palm oil from some of our Bakery products including Ginger Kisses and Lamingtons and also from Coles Choc Top, Coles Sultanas and Coles 2 Minute Instant Noodles.
When developing new products, we will use sustainable palm oil wherever possible and where we cannot use sustainable palm oil, we will use alternative oils and ingredients. This approach enables Coles to encourage palm oil producers to move to sustainable practices whilst supporting the livelihoods of those communities dependant on the palm oil industry.