An advertising watchdog in the UK announced yesterday that two commercials by the Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC) that ran on television channel BBC World last year were “misleading”

It ruled that they “should not reappear in their current form”.

Responding to complaints lodged by a conservation scientist and three groups, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) also said the MPOC commercials - which ran during the summer of 2007 - contained many claims that either were not substantiated or were highly contentious.

Objections against the complaints filed by MPOC as well as BBC World were taken into consideration but overruled by ASA, which carried its adjudication on the matter on its website yesterday.

In one of the MPOC advertisements, shots of a palm oil plantation were interspersed with those of a rainforest and wildlife while a voice-over spoke of ‘Malaysia palm oil’:

“Its trees that give life and help our planet breathe, and give home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna ... A gift from nature, a gift for life." At the end of the advertisement, an onscreen text read: "Malaysia Palm Oil: Sustainably produced since 1917".

In the other advertisement, shots of a palm oil plantation and wildlife were displayed as a voice-over spoke of the slow discovery of “secrets of our planet”:

While the world “may know almost all the wonders of the earth, many may not be aware of the wonders of this gift from nature, this gift for life,” said the voice as it spoke of ‘Malaysia Palm Oil’:

“Its trees that give life and help our planet breathe. Its fruit provides vitamins for our bodies and energy for our daily lives. Malaysia Palm Oil. A gift from nature, a gift for life.”

As in the other advertisement, an onscreen text for the second one read "Malaysia Palm Oil: Sustainably produced since 1917".

‘Complete lie’

Responding to the commercials, the scientist and one Gasification Australia were recorded by ASA to have complained that the advertisements had “misleadingly implied that palm oil plantations were as bio-diverse and sustainable as the native rainforests they replaced.”

The scientist had challenged the claim contained in one advertisement that oil palm trees “give home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna” and said this could not be substantiated.

ASA also recorded the complaints of Friends of the Earth (FOE) International and its Europe affiliate (FoE), who noted that the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) had not yet completed its verification system for sustainable palm oil.

The claim “sustainably produced” in the advertisements was misleading because much palm oil was produced in a way that was not socially or environmentally sustainable, they said.

The environmental groups further contended that the advertisements had misleadingly implied that palm oil benefitted the environment.

While noting MPOC and BBC World’s objections to the complaints, ASA upheld the issues raised and agreed that the advertisements either in their imagery and wording had misled viewers and contained or implied assertions that could not be substantiated or universally accepted.

ASA also said that the advertisements had breached rules contained in the CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code pertaining to misleading advertising, evidence and claims relating to the environment.

Welcoming the ruling, FOE said in a statement it is “ a complete lie” to advertise palm oil as a resource that is sustainably produced.

Citing a July 2007 study by FOE, its Corporate Accountability campaigner Paul de Clerck said “grave environmental and social problems” occur on palm oil plantations which have an impact on the environment and local communities.

“The UK advertising watchdog is the latest of many bodies to question palm oil’s sustainability and the European Union must take note and rethink its plans to import vast amounts of palm oil for use as a biofuel,” said de Clerck.