Indonesia Bans Products with ‘No Palm Oil’ Claims

The Indonesian National Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) issued the ban, saying that the ‘Palm Oil Free’ label had caused a number of problems for the country in its efforts to grow the palm oil industry.  BPOM added that it has already stopped issuing approvals to any products containing a ‘Palm Oil Free’ claim, with this rule ‘strictly enforced based on existing regulations’.

The ban has received a positive response from the local industry.  Indonesian Palm Oil Board Chairman Derom Bangun said this was a ‘much needed move’ against the ‘black campaign’ attacks that the palm oil industry is facing while the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) deemed health concerns surrounding palm oil ‘exaggerated’.  
    
The ‘Palm Oil Free’ movement has previously been regarded by major palm oil producing countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia as a campaign aiming to blacken the name of the crop, which is also a major component of various packaged foods and beverages especially in Asia.