Credit: Chester Zoo/Cover Images

A new mobile phone app giving shoppers the power to save precious rainforests around the world that are home to endangered animals like the orangutan is being launched in the UK. PalmOil Scan, which has been launched on World Orangutan Day on Friday (19August2022), allows users to check a product’s barcode to see how major manufacturers are sourcing their ingredients – specifically palm oil. Thousands of products, including chocolates, sausage rolls and crisps, have been scanned and scored, with companies worldwide ranked as excellent, good, poor or having made no commitment to sourcing palm oil sustainably. Palm oil is a £50 billion industry and is estimated to be found in half of packaged supermarket goods, from sweets to cleaning products and make-up to pet food. Unsustainable means of growing and processing palm oil has resulted in widespread devastation and biodiversity loss across South East Asia. Leading wildlife conservationists say that using the new app could “help save rainforests” as when items containing certified deforestation-free sustainable palm oil are purchased by consumers, it ensures that no further deforestation will take place to produce it. In addition to orangutans, it is hoped the habitat it can save can help preserve animals like the Sumatran tiger, hornbills, and sun bears. Users of the app can also alert companies to the fact they are checking out their scores and may be changing their buying habits as a result. The app is free to download and has been developed by the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria (WAZA) and palm oil experts from Auckland Zoo in New Zealand, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the USA and Chester Zoo in the UK. Conservationists from Chester Zoo hope it will make it easier for consumers to spot which companies are using sustainable palm oil in their products, helping to increase demand for items that support wildlife. Cat Barton, Policy Lead and sustainable palm oil advocate at Chester Zoo, said: “Facing a biodiversity crisis, now more than ever, it’s crucial that we take a stand against the use of unsustainable palm oil and stop it from contributing to the loss of habitats and species, particularly across South East Asia.” She adds: “Alongside partners we’ve developed an app with a rating system as we want to recognise companies and manufacturers that are doing well with their commitments to sourcing sustainable palm oil, and encourage those that urgently need to improve. People really care about this topic and we hope this new app will help consumers to check on their favourite products in their cupboards at home, or when in the supermarket, to make more informed choices about the items they’re putting in their shopping baskets, and easily see which companies are meeting their commitments. She hopes it will “clearly show” which huge international companies are failing wildlife by sourcing palm oil in ways that damage rainforests and encourage consumers to take this into account at the checkout. The app is the latest initiative by Chester Zoo, which has already rolled out a nationwide campaign to transform villages, towns and cities in the UK into ‘Sustainable Palm Oil Communities’ and is working with the UK government to ensure future policy includes a framework to ensure imports of all commodities into the UK are deforestation-free. The zoo also works with NGOs and fellow conservation charities in South East Asia to restore rainforest and protect critically endangered species, such as the orangutan. Dr Martín Zordan, CEO of WAZA, added: "Zoos and aquariums have a pivotal role to play in encouraging and facilitating the use of certified sustainable palm oil. Through our new PalmOil Scan app, consumers will not only become more aware but will also be empowered to make decisions that have wide ranging impacts on sustainability and biodiversity. Through PalmOil Scan, we envisage a change in consumer behaviour for a more sustainable future." The new PalmOil Scan app is now available to download from the App Store, Google Play Store, or the WAZA palm oil website. It’s available now in the USA, Canada and UK with a roll out in New Zealand and Australia planned later this year.