08/02/2012 (The Grocer) - UK retailers have topped the WWF’s Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard 2011.

Asda, Boots, M&S, The Co-op Group, The Body Shop and Waitrose all scored a maximum nine points in the rankings, which measured 132 major retailers and manufacturers on their commitment to, and use of, palm oil certified to the internationally- recognised standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco all scored eight.

However, the rankings also revealed suppliers have more work to do. Nine UK manufacturers scored top marks, but Northern Foods, the lowest-ranked UK supplier, scored just 3.5. Reckitt Benckiser also trailed, scoring five.

In global terms, more was needed to ameliorate the “unacceptable” effects of the palm oil industry, said WWF UK senior policy officer Adam Harrison.