Palm oil is a great enemy of forests, especially in Africa and Asia. Its cultivation is one of the main reasons why orangutans and other jungle biodiversity are against the ropes because of the previous deforestation practiced, which means the end of valuable and irreplaceable ecosystems as well as contributing to the worsening of climate change.
Under these premises, the French ecology minister invited us to stop eating the delicious cocoa cream so as not to continue eating rich ecosystems to avoid the destruction of these jungle enclaves, which are mercilessly deforested to plant palms in order to Obtain palm oil, one of the main ingredients in Nutella. In Green Ecologist we explain why Greenpeace is against the Nutella boycott.
Greenpeace explains why it is against the Nutella boycott
The reason for your forgiveness? While it is true that Nutella is just one example of the myriad of foods that contain the nefarious palm oil among their ingredients, pointing out a single product was not a good idea. Among other things, because Nutella is not a wayward company that is reluctant to change, but quite the opposite, say activist associations such as Greenpeace or Verité.
Does that mean that Greenpeace encourages us to consume Nutella? No. It just points out that Ferrero, the maker of Nutella, is making great strides and is currently purchasing palm oil from suppliers that do business with environmental responsibility.
Therefore, it is not fair to place the full burden of blame on one of the few companies that is making serious progress in cleaning up its palm oil supply chain. In fact, Ferrero said a few months ago that he had reached his goal of using only the sustainable palm oil one year before your goal.
These are advances that are being made little by little, but they are welcome. This does not prevent a decision to boycott a product from being made because of what it has done in the past or what it continues to do, despite improvements. These improvements, on the other hand, are being achieved through Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization that brings together different stakeholders (industry, environmental groups, banks, etc.) to advance the sustainability of the product.
Thus, Greenpeace, very combative against Nutella a few years ago, has now issued a press release for oppose the Nutella boycott and also to a general boycott of all products containing palm oil because "a general boycott it will not solve the problems in its production. "
Consume palm oil, yes or no?
Should we consume products that contain palm oil? In general, growing palm oil means sticking with a harmful model for the planet and also contrary to a more egalitarian society. Its critics say that child laborers are employed, that working conditions are unsafe and that, in sum, it is the antipode of the principles of Fair Trade.
Nor is it a panacea for health. Palm oil is bad for your health And, in fact, it is one of the star products of industrial bakery. Let us remember that despite its natural origin, it is Saturated fats, which shoot up cholesterol. However, not all cases are comparable. Again, being informed is the best way to find an answer. Palm oil yes, palm oil no? Only if it is sustainable, not even if it is? It's up to you!
If you want to know more about this topic, we recommend you read this other article by Green Ecologist on Why is palm oil so bad?
The situation of Ferrero, the brand behind Nutella
With regard to Ferrero, the activist group recalled that the Italian firm has "an ambitious policy" to improve the supply of palm oil. "Consequently, we consider Ferrero to be one of the more progressive companies vis-à-vis the consumer regarding the purchase of components of palm oil, "the organization said.
The media beating that Greenpeace has been giving Ferrero for years has now become a flexibility that responds to the positive response the company has had. But, although it is true that he has not turned a deaf ear, he still has a long way to go in this regard.
Thus, consumers will decide much better with the information in hand. Logically, Greenpeace's word is not law, nor can it be said that Ferrero is behaving impeccably. Of course, the capacity for dialogue and progress are a plus, it cannot be denied.
Verite, an international organization that advocates for social justice and is dedicated to denouncing exploitative working conditions such as those that often occur in these crops, joins the Greenpeace recommendation. "Consumers should be aware of how destructive growing palm oil can be, but Ferrero is one of the few companies that has endorsed the highest standards."
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