Debate on an e-petition relating to the sale of products containing palm oil

E-petition 219758 on banning the sale of products containing unsustainably sourced palm oil in the UK received 89,802 signatures after closing on 16 November 2018. It will be debated in Westminster Hall on Monday 10 December 2018 after being selected for debate.

Palm oil is commonly used in a wide range of food and household products in the UK. Most production of the oil is in South East Asia, and production has risen rapidly in recent decades, raising concerns around the environmental impact, including on endangered species.

UK Government policy on palm oil is to work towards 100% sourcing of palm oil from sustainable sources and it supports a number of international initiatives, but also recognises that ‘more remains to be done’ at this level. It does not currently propose to bring forward a ban on unsustainably sourced palm oil.