Do All Biscuits Contain Palm Oil? The Truth About Your Favorite Snack

December 10, 2025 •

4 min read

Approximately 50% of all supermarket products, including many popular biscuits, contain palm oil due to its versatility and cost-effectiveness. This prevalence begs the question: do all biscuits contain palm oil, or are there alternatives for the eco-conscious consumer?

Quick Summary

This article examines the widespread use of palm oil in biscuits, the reasons manufacturers favor it, and details why not all biscuits contain this ingredient. It also explores palm oil-free brands and highlights key ingredient alternatives.

Key Points

Not all biscuits contain palm oil: While palm oil is widely used in processed foods, including many biscuits, it is not present in all brands.
Palm oil is a cost-effective ingredient: Manufacturers use palm oil because it is cheap, abundant, and offers functional benefits like a long shelf life and desired texture.
Alternatives to palm oil exist: Some biscuit brands, especially those in the organic or specialty market, use butter, sunflower oil, or coconut oil instead of palm oil.
Check the ingredient list carefully: Palm oil can be listed under many names, so consumers must be vigilant when reading labels.
Sustainable palm oil is an option: Some companies use RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil to mitigate environmental and social impacts.
Health concerns are associated with palm oil: High saturated fat and potential carcinogenic contaminants from processing are reasons some consumers avoid it.
Homemade biscuits are often palm oil-free: Recipes for homemade biscuits typically use butter, lard, or vegetable shortenings other than palm oil.

Why Palm Oil Is the Biscuit Industry's Go-To Ingredient

Palm oil is a semi-solid vegetable fat derived from the fruit of oil palm trees, and its usage in processed foods like biscuits is widespread for several compelling reasons. Its unique composition and functional properties make it a top choice for food manufacturers, leading to its inclusion in many popular snacks. However, consumer awareness regarding its potential health risks, like increased saturated fat content and carcinogenic compounds formed during processing at high temperatures, alongside significant environmental concerns, is growing.

Reasons manufacturers prefer palm oil:

Cost-Effectiveness: Palm oil is a highly efficient crop, producing a significantly larger yield per hectare compared to other vegetable oils like soybean or rapeseed. This efficiency keeps production costs low for manufacturers, allowing them to offer products at competitive prices.
Extended Shelf Life: Its high oxidative stability and natural resistance to rancidity help prolong the freshness and longevity of biscuits. This is a crucial factor for a snack item that needs to remain fresh during transportation and storage.
Versatile Texture: At room temperature, palm oil remains in a semi-solid state, which is ideal for achieving the desired texture in baked goods. It gives biscuits a crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth consistency and helps prevent sticking.
Neutral Flavor Profile: Palm oil has a neutral taste and color, meaning it doesn't interfere with the intended flavor of the biscuit. This allows the taste of other ingredients to stand out without being masked by a strong, oily flavor.

The Impact of Palm Oil on Health and the Environment

While palm oil offers commercial benefits, its widespread use has led to significant health and environmental scrutiny. Health concerns revolve around its high saturated fat content, which, with regular consumption, can lead to increased bad cholesterol levels. Processing at high temperatures can also create harmful contaminants called Glycidyl fatty acid esters (GEs), which have carcinogenic potential.

Environmentally, the mass production of palm oil has been a major driver of deforestation in biodiverse rainforests, contributing to habitat loss for endangered species and increasing carbon emissions. The industry has taken steps to address these issues, with certifications like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) aiming to promote more ethical sourcing. Still, critics question the standards and effectiveness of these certifications.

Biscuits That Are Palm Oil-Free

Despite the prevalence of palm oil, it is certainly not present in all biscuits. Many brands and artisanal bakers use alternative fats, such as butter, sunflower oil, or coconut oil, to create delicious palm oil-free options. Reading the ingredients list is the most effective way to identify these products. Some companies proudly display "palm oil-free" labels to appeal to environmentally and health-conscious customers.

Common palm oil-free biscuit options include:

Shortbread Biscuits: Traditional shortbread relies on butter for its rich, crumbly texture, making many varieties naturally palm oil-free.
Specialty and Organic Brands: Many brands focused on ethical or organic ingredients, such as Mr Organic, Doves Farm, and Island Bakery, offer biscuits without palm oil.
Vegan and Gluten-Free Alternatives: Producers of vegan or gluten-free biscuits often use alternatives like coconut oil, cashew butter, or almond butter to achieve the desired consistency.

Palm Oil vs. Alternatives: A Comparison


Feature	Palm Oil	Butter	Sunflower Oil	Coconut Oil
Cost	Very Low	High	Medium	High
Saturated Fat	High	High	Low	High
Flavor	Neutral	Rich, Buttery	Neutral	Mild, Coconut
Environmental Impact	Significant	Variable	Lower	Variable
Texture	Semi-solid	Semi-solid	Liquid	Solid (chilled)
Shelf Life	Long	Short	Long	Long

How to Spot Palm Oil on an Ingredients List

Identifying palm oil can be tricky because it doesn't always appear under its common name. The oil and its derivatives can be listed under numerous aliases, including:

Vegetable oil, vegetable fat (if unspecified)
Palmate, Palmitate
Stearate, Stearic Acid
Glycerol, Glyceryl
Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Consumers should be vigilant when examining product labels. In Europe, food labels are required to specify the type of vegetable oil used, but in other regions, more generic terms may be used. Look for phrases like "palm oil-free" or brands that have publicly committed to avoiding its use.

The Future of Biscuit Production

Growing consumer demand for ethical and healthy food options is pushing manufacturers to re-evaluate their ingredients. The push towards sustainable practices, whether through certified sourcing or moving to alternatives, is gaining momentum. While it is a challenging transition for many large-scale producers, the increasing availability of palm oil-free products and recipes demonstrates that change is possible. Consumers have the power to influence the market with their purchasing decisions, supporting brands that prioritize transparent, responsible sourcing.

Conclusion

While a significant number of biscuits contain palm oil due to its economic and functional benefits, the claim that all biscuits contain this ingredient is incorrect. Consumers who wish to avoid palm oil can find numerous alternatives by carefully reading ingredient labels, looking for specific certifications, and choosing brands that market themselves as palm oil-free. By becoming informed about the ingredients in their favorite snacks, consumers can make choices that align with their health concerns and environmental values. The industry's evolution towards more transparent and sustainable practices offers hope for a future with more responsible snacking options.

Finding Palm Oil-Free Biscuits

To find products that do not contain palm oil, consumers should consider the following steps:

Scrutinize labels: Even if a label doesn't explicitly state "palm oil," look for generic terms like "vegetable oil" or specific derivatives.
Choose certified brands: Some certifications, though not perfect, indicate a commitment to higher standards.
Explore specialty stores: Organic, ethical, and health food stores often carry a wider selection of palm oil-free items.
Search online: Many online retailers offer dedicated sections for palm oil-free biscuits and snacks.

Armed with knowledge, consumers can navigate the snack aisle and make more conscious choices about the products they purchase.

Visit Ethical Consumer for a list of ethical and palm-oil free biscuit brands.

Your Questions Answered

Still have questions about palm oil in biscuits? Here are some quick answers to common queries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Manufacturers use palm oil in biscuits primarily because of its low cost, efficiency in production, and functional properties. It gives biscuits a desirable texture, helps prevent rancidity, and extends their shelf life.

You can tell if a biscuit contains palm oil by checking the ingredient list on the packaging. Be aware that it may be listed under various alternative names like 'vegetable fat' or specific derivatives like 'glycerol' and 'stearic acid'.

Yes, there are several brands that produce biscuits without palm oil. Some examples include Mr Organic, Doves Farm, and Island Bakery, which often focus on organic or ethical ingredients.

Palm oil is high in saturated fat, and some studies raise concerns about carcinogenic compounds formed during high-temperature processing. However, health experts generally recommend moderating the consumption of all refined oils.

Sustainable palm oil is produced under standards set by organizations like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which aims to address the environmental and social issues associated with its production. Critics argue that the standards need to be more rigorous.

Alternatives to palm oil include butter, sunflower oil, and coconut oil. The best substitute depends on the desired texture and flavor profile of the final product.

Avoiding palm oil can reduce demand for a product linked to deforestation and habitat destruction. However, some argue that replacing it with other vegetable oils could cause more deforestation, as alternatives often have lower yields. Supporting sustainable options or alternatives is generally considered the better approach.