More companies are choosing to use ecolabels to demonstrate their sustainability commitments to consumers.
A recent study of the developments in the sustainable palm oil market and supply chain in Europe showed that licences for using the RSPO Trademark on products doubled between 2020 and 2021.
RSPO members that have supply chain certification are allowed to make on-pack claims about the certified sustainable palm oil products contained within their products.
At this year’s World Economic Forum, Alan Jope, chief executive of Unilever, shared that "consumers, particularly young people, are making brand choices based on social and environmental impact. Our sustainable brands are growing much faster than the rest of our portfolio.”
Using ecolabels has its benefits for both businesses and consumers.
For consumer goods manufacturers and retailers with own-brand products, ecolabels not only help to improve brand image and retain existing customers but also attract new customers.
For consumers, ecolabels provide a quick visual indication of sustainability assurance.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is considered to be the most rigorous global standard that addresses social and environmental sustainability issues.
According to the Forest Peoples Programme, RSPO has the strongest set of requirements across the principal oil palm sustainability standards across the world.
Additionally, in May 2022, RSPO was one of only 12 quality and sustainability labels in the food industry to receive the 'Top Quality Label' from the independent Dutch organisation 'Milieucentraal'.
Yet, the question remains: how has an increase in the use of the RSPO Trademark heightened consumer awareness?
Also, what more can the industry do to demonstrate positive impacts to the consumer?
At the upcoming Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue (SPOD), industry leaders will discuss trends in consumer perceptions and the need to have a more balanced narrative on sustainable palm oil.
SPOD is the premier conference on sustainable palm oil in Europe, held in the Netherlands on 20 October 2022 and jointly organised by the RSPO, the European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA) and IDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative.
To register for SPOD visit www.spod-europe.eu. For queries, write to event@spod-europe.eu.
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