Europe's food makers find green palm oil hard to stomach

He called on more European governments to make the 2020 pledge on sustainable palm oil, and for more awareness campaigns to change consumer attitudes and demand.

“Governments need to step up their game to make sure it (sustainable palm oil) is the norm in Europe,” he said.

Palm oil buyers should also get more involved on the ground to ensure that their supplies are not linked to deforestation or abuse of workers’ rights, he added.

If Europe leads the way in buying only green palm oil, it could set a precedent for other major consuming countries like Indonesia, China and India, said David Gaveau, a scientist at the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research.

But much work remains to convince others outside Europe to put the environment ahead of price, said experts.

“Palm oil consumers are starting to care in the United States, and quite a bit of RSPO palm (oil) is now entering the U.S. markets,” Carl Bek-Nielsen, chief executive director at Malaysia’s United Plantations Berhad, said by email.