No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusiness'Stop eating Nutella' urges French environment minister

‘Stop eating Nutella’ urges French environment minister

PARIS – France’s environment minister, Segolene Royal, has rankled the company that makes Nutella by urging the public to stop eating its irresistible chocolate hazelnut spread, saying it contributes to deforestation.

“We have to replant a lot of trees because there is massive deforestation that also leads to global warming. We should stop eating Nutella, for example, because it’s made with palm oil,” Royal said in an interview late Monday on the French television network Canal+.

“Oil palms have replaced trees, and therefore caused considerable damage to the environment,” she explained.

Nutella, she said, should be made from “other ingredients.”

The comments needled Ferrero, the giant Italian chocolate group that makes Nutella.

Without referring to Royal directly, the company issued a statement Tuesday saying it was aware of the environmental stakes and had made commitments to source palm oil in a responsible manner.

Ferrero gets nearly 80 percent of its palm oil from Malaysia. The rest of its supply comes from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Brazil.

Two and a half years ago, French senators tried to impose a 300 percent tax on palm oil, saying it was dangerously fattening and its cultivation was bad for the environment. The measure was defeated.

Popular Articles

Happy Earth Day 2025: Celebrating Costa Rica’s Natural Wonders in Photos

In celebration of our little 51,100‑square‑kilometer stretch of earth, we’re revisiting a selection of photos from Costa Rica’s landscapes. From volcanoes and rivers to...

Costa Rica Faces Tourism Slump Despite High Season

Costa Rica has recorded seven consecutive months of declining international tourist arrivals, a troubling trend that began in September 2024 and persisted through March...

Poás Volcano Eruptions Deliver Economic Blow to Costa Rican Tourism

The recent eruptions of Poás Volcano in Costa Rica have significantly disrupted tourism in nearby communities, including Poás, Poasito, Fraijanes, Vara Blanca, and Los...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait

Latest Articles