You may have seen the Iceland Christmas advert that has taken the internet by storm. 

As part of its festive campaign, Iceland struck a deal with Greenpeace to rebadge an animated short film featuring an orangutan and the destruction of its rainforest habitat in the hands of palm oil growers. So, in relation to Gookie Dough, we've decided to discuss this further with you. 

(Image credit: Independent.ie) 

What is palm oil?

Palm oil is made from the fruits of trees called African oil palms. The trees come from the west and south-west Africa but were then introduced to Indonesia and Malaysia. They grow naturally in tropical rainforest areas but are also planted and farmed to produce more product. Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil, like sunflower or rapeseed. 

Why is palm oil bad?

The demand for palm oil has risen because it's in pretty much everything. From shampoos, makeup and lipstick to biscuits and ice cream. Huge areas of forest in Asia and Africa are being destroyed. The logging of trees and industrial plantations which cover more than 27 million hectares across the world have a negative impact on wildlife and the environment. Around 100,000 orangutans were lost between 1999 to 2015 and it's creating a problem for endangered species. 

Sustainable palm oil 

(Image credit: Greenpalm.org) 

Sustainable palm oil makes business profitable while not harming people or the environment. Palm oil companies have now adopted policies that promise no deforestation and no exploitation. This is called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). There are eight principles that palm oil producers must follow as seen above. 

Now you're probably wondering about Gookie Dough because there is a high chance that palm oil is used. Correct. We want to make the message clear that all of our palm oil used is 100% sustainable and protecting the environment in any way possible. As a company, we want to send a positive message to our consumers, and we are on Iceland's side!