There is no legislation to stop this vague product labelling of palm oil
Despite the lobbying and activism of various environmental groups and those concerned with consumer rights, palm oil remains labelled in a vague unclear way. It’s hidden in plain sight, an ingredient in everything from ice-cream to lipstick, biscuits to toothpaste.
Part of the mission of this website is to educate people on the products that A. contain palm oil and B. decipher whether or not this palm oil is from a sustainable source.
When it’s not clearly labelled as #Palmoil you can identify it on product packaging with these ingredient prefixes:STEAR, GLYC, PALM, LAUR. That’s all you need to remember 💚 to #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
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Here is how the palm oil lobby AKA Orangutan Land Trust justify obscuring the simple name ‘palm oil’ on the label
Leaving aside the fact that many parts of the world have different food labelling laws.
I guess what this greenwashing lobbyist is saying is that consumers should know all of the 400 names? What a load of bullshit.
Palm oil’s many names
Here’s an abbreviated list of other names for palm oil
To help you navigate these confusing waters and avoid unwittingly voting for rainforest destruction with your dollars, here is a partial list of other names for palm oil-derived ingredients:*
- PKO – Palm Kernel Oil
- PKO fractionations: Palm Kernel Stearin (PKs); Palm Kernel Olein (PKOo)
- PHPKO – Partially hydrogenated Palm Oil
- FP(K)O – Fractionated Palm Oil
- OPKO – Organic Palm Kernel Oil
- Palmitate – Vitamin A or Asorbyl Palmitate (NOTE: Vitamin A Palmitate is a very common ingredient in breakfast cereals and we have confirmed 100% of the samples we’ve investigated to be derived from palm oil)
- Palmate
- Sodium Laureth Sulphate (Can also be from coconut)
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphates (can also be from ricinus oil)
- Sodium dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
- Elaeis Guineensis
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Stearic Acid
- Chemicals which contain palm oil
- Steareth -2
- Steareth -20
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
- Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and/or palm)
- Hydrated palm glycerides
- Sodium isostearoyl lactylaye (derived from vegetable stearic acid)
- Cetyl palmitate and octyl palmitate (names with palmitate at the end are usually derived from palm oil, but as in the case of Vitamin A Palmitate, very rarely a company will use a different vegetable oil)
Here’s the full list for your reference
It’s a disgusting indictment on democracy when something as simple as ingredients on the products we consume cannot be standarised and simplified at consumers’ request. The entire world’s forests are at stake! Skip to the end to sign the most recent petitions to standardise palm oil on product labels in Australia and New Zealand.
1,2-OCLanediol
1,2-Octyleneglycol
2-Ethyl Hexyl Stearate
100 Cetyl/stearyl ether
304
α-hydroxy-N-stearoylphytosphingosine
acetylated glycol stearate
Acetylated monoglycerides
Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472a/E472a)
Acrylated Palm Oil
APO
Acrylates/Palmeth-25
AHCOHOL 0810 (Octyl Decyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 0898 (Octyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1098 (Decyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1216 (Lauryl/Myristyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1299 (Lauryl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1498 (Myristyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL 1618 (Cetyl Stearyl/Cetearyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1698 (Cetyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL 1898 (Stearyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL® Fatty Alcohols
Alkyl alcohol Aluminium stearate
Alkyl polyglucoside
Aluminium, calcium, sodium, magnesium salts of fatty acids (470/E470a; E470b)
Aluminum dimyristate
Aluminum Isostearates
Aluminium myristate
Aluminium palmitate
Aluminium stearate
Ammonium laureth sulphate
Ammonium lauryl sulphate
Anionic & Non Anionic Surfactants (too generic an ingredient, need more info on)
Arachamide mea
Ascorbyl palmitate
Ascorbyl palmitate (304)
Ascorbyl stearate
Azelaic acid
Behenic acid 85% (C22)
Behentrimonium methosulphate
BTMS
beta Carotene
Biodiesal
Butyl myristate
Butyl stearate
Butyl Stearate IPM (Isopropyl Myristate)
C16
C17
C18
CAB
Calcium lactylate
Calcium oleyl lactylate
Calcium myristate
Calcium stearate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate (482/E482)
CAPB
CAPB-KG30
CAPB-KG45
Capric Acid (C10)
Capric triglyceride
Capryl Glucoside
Caprylamine
Caprylic acid
Caprylic acid (C8))
Caprylic triglyceride
Caprylic/capric acid (C810)
Caprylic-capric triglycerides
Caprylic-capric-stearic triglyceride
Capryloyl glycine
Caprylyl glycol
Carboxylic acid
Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (can come from PKC cellulose)
CDE
CDE K85
CDE K90
CDE-K85
CDE-K90
Ceteareth (2-100)
Cetearyl alcohol
Cetearyl ethylhexanote
Cetearyl glucoside
Cetearyl isononanoate
Cetearyl olivate
Ceteth-20
Ceteth-24
Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)
CTAB
Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC)
CTAC
Cetrimonium bromide
Cetrimonium chloride
Cetostearyl alcohol
Cetyl acetate
Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl ethylhexanoate
Cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose
Cetyl lactate
Cetyl myristate
Cetyl octanoate
Cetyl palmitate
Cetyl ricinoleate
Cetyl-PG Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Cetyl/stearyl ether
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472c/E472c)
Citris seed extract
CMEA
CME-K85
CME-K95
Coco – Caprylate
Coco – polyglucose
Cocoyl sarcosine
Coco – DEA
Coco – Glucoside
Coco Alkyl Betaine
Coco MEA
Cocoa butter equivalent (CBE)
Cocoa butter substitute (CBS)
Cocoamidopropyl Amine Oxide
Cocodiethanolamide
Cocomide – DEA
cocomide – MEA
Cocomidopropyl – Betaine
Cocomonoethanolamide
Coconut Fatty Acid
Decal – Glucosde
Decyl Myristate
Decyl oleate
Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472e/E472e)
Dicaprylyl Ether
dicocoyl ethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate
Dicocoyl Pentaerythrityl Distearyl Citrate
Dilinoleic acid
Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate
Distilled Fatty Acids
Distilled Monoglyceride Palm
Distilled Palm Kernel (DPK)
Dried Yeast
EBS – Ethylene Bis Stearamide
EBS Beads
EBS SF
EBS SP
Elaeis guineensis oil
Emulsifier 422
Emulsifier 430
Emulsifier 431
Emulsifier 432
Emulsifier 433
Emulsifier 434
Emulsifier 436
Emulsifier 470
Emulsifier 470a
Emulsifier 470b
Emulsifier 471
Emulsifier 471a
Emulsifier 471b
Emulsifier 471c
Emulsifier 471d
Emulsifier 472e
Emulsifier 473
Emulsifier 474
Emulsifier 475
Emulsifier 476
Emulsifier 477
Emulsifier 478
Emulsifier 481
Emulsifier 482
Emulsifier 483
Emulsifier 484
Emulsifier 485
Emulsifier 493
Emulsifier 494
Emulsifier 495
Epoxidized palm oil (uv cured coatings)
Emulsifying wax
Ethoxylated glycerol monooleate
Ethoxylated lauryl alcohol
Ethoxylated monoglycerides
Ethoxylated Sorbitan monostearate (SMS)
Ethoxylated Sorbitan Mono-stearate (STS)
Ethoxylated palm oil
Ethyl lauroyl arginate (243)
Ethylene glycol monostearate
Ethylhexyl hydroxystearate
Ethylhexyl myristate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Ethylhexyl stearate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Ethylene glycol diesters
Ethylene glycol esters
Ethylene glycol monoesters
Ethylene glycol monostearate
Ethyhexylglycerin
Ethyhexyl hydroxystearate
Ethylhexyl myristate
Ethylhexyl palminate
Ethylhexyl stearate
Fatty Acid Diethanolamides
Fatty Acid Monoethanolamides
Fatty Acids
Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate
Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylate
Fatty alcohol sulphates
Fatty isethionate
Fractionated Palm Methyl Esters
Glycerin
Glycerin or glycerol (442)
Glycerine
Glyceryl cocoate
Glyceryl esters
Glycerol di-myristate
Glyceryl distearate
Glyceryl laurate
glyceryl monococoate
Glyceryl monostearate
Glyceryl myristate
Glyceryl oleate
Glyceryl polymethacrylate
Glyceryl rosinate
Glyceryl stearate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Glyceryl tripalmitate
Glycol distearate
Glycol stearate
Grapefruit seed extract
Guineesis (palm)
Hexadecylic
Hexyl laurate
Hexyldecanol
Humectant 422
Hydrogenated palm glycerides
IPO (Isopropyl Oleate)
Isopropyl isostearate
Isoamyl laurate
Isobutyl myristate
Isocetyl alcohol
Isocetyl myristate
Isodecyl oleate
Isopropyl esters
Isopropyl isostearate
Isopropyl myristate
Isopropyl palmitate
Isopropyl titanium triisostearate
Isostearamide DEA
Isostearate DEA
Isostearic acid
Isostearyl alcohol
Isostearyl isostearate
Isostearyl myristate
Isostearyl neopentanoate
Isotridecyl myristate
Lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472b/E472b)
Lactylated Monoglycerides
Lauramide DEA
Lauramide MEA
Lauramine oxide
Laureth
Laureth-1,
Laureth-2
Laureth-3
Laureth-5
Laureth-6
Laureth-7
Laureth-8
Laureth-9
Laureth-10
Laureth-11
Laureth-12
Laureth-13
Laureth-14
Laureth-15
Laureth-16
Laureth-20
Laureth-21
Laureth-25
Laureth-30
Laureth-38
Laureth-40
Laureth-50
Lauric acid
Lauric Acid (C12)
Lauroyl sarcosine
Lauryl Alcohol Ethoxylates (2, 3 & 4 Mole)
Lauryl betaine
Lauryl dimonium hydrolysed collagen
Lauryl glucoside
Lauryl lactate
Laurel myristate
Lauryl pyrrolidone
Lauryl sarcosine
Lecithin
Lecithin isopropyl palm oil
Linoleic acid
Magnesium myristate
Magnesium stearate
Metallic stearates
Methyl laurate (1214)
Methyl myristate
Methyl laurate stearate (1218)
Methyl oleate (1898)
Methyl palmitate-stearate (1618)
(Methyl palmitate-stearate – DPK)
Mixed tartaric, acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472f/E472f)
Mono-and-di-glycerides of fatty acids (471/E471)
Mono glycerides of fatty acids
Monoglyceride citrate
Monopalmitate
Myreth 3 myristate
Myristate
Myristic acid
Myristic Acid (C14))
Myristic Cetrimonium Chloride Acid
Myristoyl
Myristyl alcohol
Myristyl myristate
Myristoyl Sarcosine
Myristoyl Sarcosinate
Myristyl alcohol
Myristyl myristate
n- Butyl esters
n-Octane-1,2-diol
N-stearoyl phytosphingosine
N-stearoyl sphinganine
Octandiol
Octan-1,2-diol
Octyl palmitate
Octyl stearate
Octyldodecyl myristate
Octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate
Oleamide MIPA
Oleic acid
Oleic Acid FGK
Oleyl betaine
Oleyl myristate
Oleoyl sarcsine
Olivem 1000
Olive – emulse
Oliv-wax LQC
PALMESTER fatty esters
Palm fruit oil
Palmitoleic acid
Palm Kernel Acid
Palm kernel cake
Palm Kernel Diethanolamide
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid
Palm Kernel Monoethanolamide
Palm kernel oil
Palm Methyl Esters
Palm oil
Palm olein
Palm stearine
Palm Sterine (PS)
Palmate
Palmitamidopropyl betaine
Palmitamidopropyltrimonium chloride
Palmitate
Palmitic acid
Palmitic Acid (C16)
Palmitoyl acid
Palmitoyl alcohol
Palm oleic acid
Palmitoyl myristyl serinate
Palmitoyl oligopeptide
Palmitoyl oxostearamide
Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3
Palm Methyl Ester
PBS Base
Palmfonate
Palmosalt
PEG-2 cetyl/stearyl ether
PEG – 7
PEG-100 stearate
PEG-12 Carnauba
PEG-15 stearyl ether
PEG-150 distearate
PEG-2 oleamine
PEG-20 stearate
PEG-4 laurate
PEG-40 stearate
PEG-8 distearate
PEG-8 stearate
PEG-80 sorbitan laurate
Pentaerythritol tetra caprai/caprylate
Pentaerythrityl tetracaprylate/tetracaprate
Pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate
Peptide complex
PG dicaprylate/caprate
PK oleic acid
PK DEA
PK MEA
Planta-Cleanse
PME 1214 (Methyl Laurate Myristate)
PME 1218 (Methyl Laurate Stearate)
PME 1298 (Methyl Laurate) PME 1618
PME 1618 (Methyl Palmitate Oleate)
PME 1698 (Methyl Palmitate)
PME 1898 (Methyl Oleate – PK)
POFA (palm oil fuel ash)
Polyethylene glycol
Polyethylene (40) stearate (431)
Polyglycerate-60
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (475/E475)
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid (476/E476)
Polyglycerol-2 oleyl ether
Polyglyceryl-3 dilisostearate
Polyglyceryl-4 isostearate
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate
Polyglyceryl-4 oleyl ether
Polyoxyethylene
Polyoxyethylene Glycol (PEG-7)
Polysorbate 60
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan monostearate (435/E435)
Polysorbate 65
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan tristearate (436/E436)
Polysorbate 80
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan monoolate (433/E433)
Polysorbate-20
Polysorbate-40
Polysorbate-60
Polysorbate-65
Polysorbate-80
Polysorbate-85
POME palm oil mill effluent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Potassium Palmitate
Potassium myristate
Potassium stearate
PPG-15 stearate ether
PPG-4 Laureth-5
Propylene glycol monoester
Propylene glycol myristate
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (477/E477)
Propylene glycol laurate
Propylene glycol stearate
Retinyl palmitate
Rubber Grade Stearic Acid
Saponified elaeis guineensis
Sleareth
SLES
SLS
Sodium cetearyl sulphate
Sodium Coco Sulphate
sodium cocoyl glycinate
Sodium cocoyl isethionate
Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylaye
Sodium lactylate
Sodium laurate
Sodium laurel
Sodium laureth sulfate
Sodium laureth sulphate
Sodium laureth-13 carboxylate
Sodium lauroamphoacetate
Sodium lauroyl glutamate
Sodium lauroyl lactylate
Sodium lauryl
Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES)
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
Sodium lauryl sulphate
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate
Sodium myristate
sodium oleyl lactylate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Sodium palm kernelate
Sodium palm kerneloyl isethionate
Sodium palmate
Sodium palmitate
Sodium stearate
Sodium stearoyl fumarate
Sodium Stearoyl glutamate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
sodium stearoyl lactylate (481/E481)
Solubiliser PS20
Sorbitan Caprylate
Sorbitan Cocoate
Sorbitan diisostearate
Sorbitan Distearate
Sorbitan ester
Sorbitan isotearate
Sorbitan laurate
Sorbitan monoglyceride
Sorbitan monolaurate
Sorbitan monopalmitate
Sorbitan monostearate (491)
Sorbitan palmitate
Sorbitan sesquioleate
Sorbitan trioleate
Sorbitan tristearate
Sorbitan tristearate (492)
Sorbitan triglyceride
stearalkonium bentonite
Stearalkonium chloride
Stearalkonium hectorite
Stearamide MEA
Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine
Stearamine Oxide
Steareth – 2
Steareth – 7
Steareth – 10
Steareth – 11
Steareth – 13
Steareth – 14
Steareth – 15
Steareth – 16
Steareth – 20
Steareth – 21
Steareth – 25
Steareth – 27
Steareth – 30
Steareth – 40
Steareth – 50
Steareth – 100
Stearic Acid (C18)& (570)
Stearic acid (vegetable oil)
Stearic Acid 50 NF Powder
Stearic Acid 55% 65%, 70%, 90%
Stearic acid or fatty acid (570)
Stearic hydrazide
Stearone
Stearoxytrimethylsilane
Stearoyl sarcosine
Stearyl acetate
Stearyl alcohol
Stearyl alcohol NF
Stearyl caprylate,
Stearyl citrate
Stearyl dimethicone
Stearyl glycyrrhetinate
Stearyl heptanoate
Stearyl Octanoate
Stearyl Stearate
Stearyl tartarate
Stearyltrimethylammonium Chloride
Stearoyl lactic acid
Stearyldimethyl amine
Steartrimonium chloride
Succinylated monoglycerides
Sucrose esters of fatty acids (473/E473)
sucrose distearate
sucrose oleate
sucrose tristearate
Shea butter (extended)
Sucrose stearate
Sulphonated Methyl Esters
Synthetic beeswax
Taxanomic
TEA-lauryl sulphate
TEA-stearate
Temest 2 EHC (Ethylhexyl Cocoate)
Temest 2 EHP (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
Temest 2 EHS (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
Temest 810 (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
Temest 99 (Isononyl Isononanonate)
Temest ALB (C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate)
Temest CTE (Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate)
Temest CTN (Cetearyl Isononanoate)
Temest DO (Decyl Oleate)
Tetradecylocadecyl myristate
Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate
Tocopheryl linoleate
Triacetin
Triacetin (1518)
Tribehenin
Tricaprylin
Tridecyl myristate
Triisopropanolamine
Triple Pressed Stearic Acid
Tristearin
Veg Emulse
Vegetable Emulsifier
Vegetable glycerine
Vegetable gum (466)
vegetable mono diglycerides
vegetable oil
Vit A
Zinc myristate
Zinc stearate
Mandatory palm oil labelling
Currently, the EU and the UK mandates that all products must clearly label palm oil on their products. It wasn’t that hard, and it resulted in greater consumer choice so that consumers could support and save the animals they love, rather than harming them. Let’s demand the same in Australia and New Zealand now!
A victory for common sense and the consumers’ rights to know.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Contribute in five ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
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