Top 9 Retailers In Europe Committing To Sustainable Palm Oil

By: Kimasha Williams
(As first published in European Supermarket Magazine, 24 July 2025)

Nine major European retailers have distinguished themselves as the top performers in their sector on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Shared Responsibility Scorecard.

The retailers – Marks & Spencer, Edeka, John Lewis Partnership, IKEA, Greggs, Bidfood, Co-op, Lidl and REWE – rank among the highest scoring European retailer members for their commitment to advancing certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO).

All RSPO Members have a shared responsibility to make palm oil sustainable.

While grower members implement the RSPO Standards in their production of oil palm, non-grower members also have a responsibility to stimulate demand for sustainable palm oil.

Each member sector has specific Shared Responsibility requirements that Ordinary RSPO Members must apply.

For retailers, these are across five thematic areas: Transparency and Legality, Social, Environmental, Resourcing and CSPO Uptake.

Retailers’ private-label goods have a considerable opportunity to advance sustainable supply chains.

In 2024, 67% of RSPO retailer members fulfilled their commitment to increase their CSPO uptake.

Company-by-Company Score Overview

1. Marks & Spencer: The retailer has a 100% CSPO uptake and funds on-the-ground investments in producing areas, supporting 500 smallholders to maintain, and an additional 133 to attain RSPO Certification in Sabah, Malaysia in 2025.
2. Edeka: The German retailer sources 99.97% CSPO. They are a member of the German Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil (FONAP) and partner with WWF Germany on more sustainable supply chains, including palm oil.
3. John Lewis Partnership: In addition to 100% CSPO uptake, JLP seeks to source from suppliers who have also made a commitment to responsible palm oil supply chains with time-bound targets to achieve this.
4. IKEA: IKEA mostly uses palm oil in candle products. Currently, the palm oil used in its candle products is RSPO segregated certified, meaning that it is grown and processed in a responsible way.
5. Greggs: The British baker sources 100% CSPO and is a proud partner of the Sustainable Palm Oil City Project across the UK.
6. Bidfood UK: As a foodservice wholesaler, the company is proud that 100% of palm in its own-brand food products supplied to caterers is RSPO certified sustainable, reflecting its commitment to being a positive force for change.
7. Co-op: At 100% CSPO uptake, Co-op is actively working in partnership with Chester Zoo on reforesting 50,000 trees supported with biodiversity research on a former plantation, and has worked with Solidaridad to support smallholders in Malaysia.
8. Lidl: With FONAP, Lidl is involved in a smallholder farmer project in Indonesia that supports training on environmental aspects, crop technologies, collecting geolocation data and empowering women in the industry.
9. REWE: Private-label products at REWE, PENNY and Lekkerland in Germany and REWE Group in Austria are 100% RSPO Certified. The REWE Group has been a founding member of FONAP since 2013.

These retailers demonstrate that meaningful action on sustainable palm oil is already on the way, and indeed, this is gaining momentum in Europe.

The next RSPO Shared Responsibility Scorecard will be updated in September, offering RSPO Members a fresh opportunity to demonstrate their progress to transform the industry.