UK certification body BM TRADA Certification Ltd has identified a dramatic surge in demand from clients seeking certification under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Supply Chain Certification Systems.

This trend, said Sales Manager Andy Green, reflects ‘increasing international concern' about the environmental effects of palm oil production.

"We are working with many more clients who have identified how important it is to their business to be able to provide assurance about the sustainability of the palm oil that they use. We anticipate that the trend towards certification will continue to gather momentum worldwide," said Green.

Palm oil represents around 30 per cent of all vegetable oil production around the world and can be found in one in 10 supermarket products, including both food and toiletries.