News release
5th September 2011
Ginsters to switch to sustainable palm oil in a UK first
Ginsters has announced that from the end of this week, the palm oil used in all its pasties,
slices and sausage rolls will come from certified sustainable sources. Over 100 million
Ginsters products a year will now contain sustainable palm oil, helping to ensure every day
family shopping choices are more environmentally friendly.
This comes at a time when an independent survey found two thirds of people in the UK are
now more environmentally conscious when shopping than they were 5 years ago and 58%
say they check the food they are about to purchase for environmental credentials.
Palm oil is the world’s leading vegetable oil; however the huge demand for the product has
started to pose a threat to the environment. The deforestation associated with the planting
of palm trees is having an impact on climate change, as well as destroying the natural
habitat of orangutans and creating a detrimental effect on local communities.
Ginsters had previously been buying Green Palm certificates for the palm oil used within its
margarine, which represented the best approach whilst there was a very limited supply of
100% sustainable palm oil available.
The company’s decision to move to using Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)1
certified palm oil makes it the UK’s first manufacturer within its category to do so and forms
part of Ginsters’ commitment to sourcing ingredients responsibly. Ginsters already uses
fresh British meat, cheese and eggs in their products, with 70% of vegetables and beef
coming from local suppliers. They estimate that this approach helps to support over 500
local farms and suppliers.
1
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative on sustainable palm oil. Members and
participants in its activities come from many different backgrounds and include environmental NGOs, banks and investors,
growers, processors, manufacturers and retailers of palm oil products and social NGOs. They come from many countries that
produce or use palm oil.
The survey also found that 73% of shoppers said they would be more environmentally
conscious if sustainable products were more affordable. As such, Ginsters has also
announced that the use of sustainable palm oil will not mean an increase in the price of its
products.
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For more information please contact Alana Tapsell or Suzanne Surridge at Mercieca Ltd on
Tel: 0207 485 0100 or Email: alana@mercieca.co.uk