The Rainforest Foundation UK launches its 2016 Palm Oil Product Guide

The Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK), the charity that supports people living in and around the world’s rainforests to protect their environment, has launched its annual Palm Oil Campaign to raise awareness of the negative impacts of palm oil developments and give consumers the power to make informed decisions about the products they buy.

Large-scale palm oil developments in the rainforest cause catastrophic deforestation and habitat loss for animals and the people who call the forest home. The demand for palm oil has already devastated millions of hectares of rainforest in Malaysia and Indonesia and now Palm oil companies are beginning to expand into the Congo Basin rainforest. Research by the Rainforest Foundation UK found that more than a million acres of forest is imminently threatened in Central Africa’s Congo Basin region.

Simon Counsell, RFUK’s Executive Director, explains: “The expansion of palm oil poses a growing threat to Africa’s rainforests, as well as to the people who depend on those forests for their livelihoods and culture”.

Despite this, demand for palm oil continues to grow and currently around 50 per cent of products in UK supermarkets contain palm oil. With this product guide, compiled in collaboration with Ethical Consumer magazine, RFUK provides consumers with the information needed to make informed choices about which products they buy.

Consumers can receive their copy of the guide by texting the word PRODUCT to 70300 and have it to hand at the shops. During the campaign RFUK will share key -facts on the impact of palm oil on deforestation through its Facebook and Twitter pages.

RFUK has also created an event kit full of ideas and resources to help supporters raise awareness and fundraise for forest communities by organising a palm oil free event and contributing to the protection of more rainforest.
For more information about RFUK Palm Oil Product Guide and our work to help indigenous and local communities, visit: www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/palmoilguide