RSPO STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO CLAIMS MADE BY NTUC FAIRPRICE

Kuala Lumpur, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) refers to a claim made by NTUC FairPrice in the Straits Times article, published on October 16, 2016. The article refers to FairPrice Premium Cooking Oil and FairPrice Vegetable Oil having been certified by NTUC supplier to be from RSPO certified sources. RSPO wishes to inform that the claim made by NTUC Fairprice is not verified in accordance with the RSPO systems and regulations.

Since the claim was made in October 2016, RSPO has taken steps to engage with NTUC Fairprice to rectify the claims or to bring their processes in compliance with RSPO standards. NTUC Fairprice has been informed multiple times that as a non certified, non-member of RSPO, claims such as those published in the Straits Times cannot be endorsed by the RSPO.

As a multi stakeholder, membership based, non-for-profit organisation, RSPO is committed to the standards outlined in their Principles and Criteria and to maintaining and improving transparency in standards related claims and communications. 

RSPO is always happy to support and engage with any company wishing to become certified under RSPO Certification and we remain open to assist NTUC Fairprice to take the necessary measurements to verify these claims, and in transforming the market to make sustainable palm oil the norm.