Palm Oil Scan
We need your help in the fight against deforestation.
This new mobile phone app is the latest initiative from Chester Zoo, produced in collaboration with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and led by palm oil experts from Chester Zoo in the UK, Auckland Zoo in New Zealand and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the USA.
It aims to transform the palm oil industry by empowering shoppers to demand change from major manufacturers which are failing wildlife, and support those that are leading the way! Buying products containing sustainable palm oil can help protect wildlife and their habitats from the devastating effects of deforestation.
Use the app to check your favourite product’s barcodes to see how major manufacturers are sourcing their palm oil ingredients. It also gives you the opportunity to alert companies that you’re checking out their scores and may be changing your buying habits as a result!
Thousands of products, including chocolates, sausage rolls and crisps have been scanned and scored, with companies worldwide ranked as excellent, good, poor or having made no commitment to sourcing palm oil sustainably.
The new PalmOil Scan app is now available to download.
Palm oil is a £50 billion industry and is estimated to be found in half of packaged supermarket goods, from sweets to cleaning products and make-up to pet food. Unsustainable means of growing and processing palm oil has resulted in widespread devastation and biodiversity loss across South East Asia.
Our conservationists hope the app will make it easier for consumers to spot which companies are using sustainable palm oil in their products, helping to increase demand for items that support wildlife.
It’s available in the USA, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Cat Barton, our Policy Lead and sustainable palm oil advocate says:
"PalmOil Scan will clearly show which huge international companies are currently failing wildlife and will ramp up the pressure on them to clean up their supply chains. While there are many well-known brands in the UK that are sourcing well, their parent companies globally certainly aren’t, and so we urgently need those big brands in the UK to push their parent companies to do better. We want this app to completely transform the palm oil industry and drive change towards deforestation-free palm oil.”
We also work with NGOs and fellow conservation charities in South East Asia to restore rainforests and protect critically endangered species, such as the orangutan.
FAQs
We acknowledge that all companies that received a rating are in different places on their journey to use 100% certified sustainable palm oil. We want to recognise those companies that are doing well and encourage those companies that need improvement. We hope that by creating this rating system we'll accomplish this task and assist consumers with making the most educated shopping choices in regards to sustainable palm oil.
Companies are scored on a 100 point structure and can earn a rating of excellent, good, poor, of no commitment.
Excellent (green): 80-100+ points
Good (yellow) 50-79.9 points
Poor (orange) 1 – 49.9 points
No commitment (red): 0 points
In the UK this app scores companies which are primarily consumer good manufacturers; companies whose business is primarily food hospitality may not yet be included in this region.