Spanish Public TV: Fake-news to disinform consumers

Documentos TV, a Spanish TV program from the public television, broadcasted a video which portrayed palm oil as a threat for human’s health and nature. Sad news. We are accustomed to hear fake-news from desperate companies trying to revamp their poor track record on sales. But journalists, no. We are not used to that – especially from those working for the national Tv.

Are they just ignorant, completely unaware of reality, or are they part of these vicious marketing campaigns against palm oil?

We have demonstrated, through studies and empirical research, that the absence of palm oil does not correspond to any significant reduction of saturated fats. What is more, the Spanish Association for Self-Regulation has been clear on biased campaigns/commercial against palm oil: they are wrong and will not be tolerated.

Why are we still witnessing blatantly discrimination towards palm oil? Disseminating false information is not favoring sustainability.

Palm oil is the most sustainable crop with a fully certified supply chain. Demonizing it would be socially and environmentally counterproductive. It is the crop with the highest yield per hectare: 3.8 tonnes vs. 0.8 for rapeseed and 0.7 for sunflower. Replacing palm plantations with another crop would only lead to a greater impact on the environment – more land needed and consequently more deforestation and fewer orangutans. This would not improve sustainability levels in any way, shape or form. Are the journalists from Documentos TV aware of this?

Science, facts and reality show that, at the moment, there is not a single alternative to palm oil. Moving away from palm oil would mean total chaos: the impoverishment of local population and environmental disaster. We must, therefore, work to achieve greater sustainability of the supply chain. We invite our friends from Documentos TV to DOCUMENT themselves before discriminating an ingredient and most importantly, threatening sustainability.