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Ban on Palm Oil in Scandic Hotels

Scandic Hotels, popular Swedish hotel chain, is known as a company that is concerned about environmental issues. Starting from the mid-1990s, Scandic has reduced emissions of carbon and water/energy waste and the company keeps trying to find ways of making its hotels even more environment friendly. This time, the company has focused its efforts on palm oil.

According to the hotelier’s decision, palm oil was banned in all restaurants in Scandic hotels. Sunflower and rapeseed oil will be used instead of it. Palm oil was used mostly for deep-frying purposes, and the hotel chain used approximately 75 thousand litres of oil a year. By the way, Scandic is not a pioneer in this sphere as the use of palm oil is already prohibited in Finland, Norway, and Denmark. The company commented the decision telling it had always been very important for them to accept their environmental responsibility. For example, for many years only UTZ or Fairtrade coffee has been sold in Scandic hotels. By switching to sunflower and rapeseed oil for deep frying, the company will help saving rain forests and wildlife.

The cultivation of palm oil has been increasing aggressively during last 30 years. In order to free space for palm farms, many tropical rain forests were eliminated, but rain forests are known as one of the most diverse eco systems in the world. Currently, 87% of the world’s palm oil has Malaysian or Indonesian origin.

Every year, Sweden imports 44,000 tons of palm oil. This means that in order to produce enough palm oil for one Swede, 11 sq. m. of land must be occupied by plantations.

09.07.2013

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