I love Thorntons chocolates. It's a real treat when a box of these turns up in our house. Reading the ingredients the other day I spotted that 'vegetable oil' was listed. Not knowing whether this was palm oil or not I sent off a quick email to find out. Here is the response:
"You will be reassured that our chocolate contains no palm oil or vegetable oils, only natural cocoa butter as we believe this delivers the best taste and product experiences.
However, palm oil has unique flavour and texture properties that are difficult to match for the centres of chocolates, so we use this in a number of centres.
We are concerned about the impact that some palm oil growers have on the environment and only use suppliers who are members of the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
We are also committed to ensuring all our bulk supplies of palm oil are sustainably sourced before 2012."
So, once again, another product containing palm oil. It really does seem to be in everything. It is a good sign that Thorntons only use suppliers who are part of the RSPO as this means if the oil isn't sustainable yet, it is encouraging the suppliers to get there. It's also encouraging that their deadline for bulk supplies to be sustainable is 2012, much sooner than most other producers.
I'm not convinced that palm oil has such a unique and amazing texture and flavour that nothing else can be used instead. Didn't the Australians recently convince Cadbury to take palm oil out of their chocolate bars and return to the original recipe because they prefered the taste. I think palm oil is a cheap alternative more than anything. I'd certainly be happy to do some chocolate tasting!
I do find it incredible that the amount of organisations claim to use palm oil only from sustainable sources, not wishing to be cynical it does appear when anyone questions companies this is the standard response. I too have contacted companies who claim to sell environmentally friendly and ethical products, e.g. Natural collection sold over the internet. When pressed, many fail to come up with any viable response as to how their raw materials are traced back through the supply chain, after all, when sustainable and non sustainable product is mixed, who would know the difference? Unfortunately I believe the only stance is to reject the use of palm oil altogether, and I agree with you, I fail to understand why there would not be another type of oil that could take the place of palm oil in chocolate centres. Rapeseed oil for example is grown in the UK, why then transport palm oil from half way round the world? Unquestionably it always seems to be down to money! Keep up the good work, the more people we can get on board hopefully corporations may start to listen.
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