17/08/2009 (Bernama) - Cadbury in New Zealand has bowed to consumer pressure and agreed to stop using palm oil in its chocolate, it has been widely reported here.
 
The moves comes after the confectionery giant received hundreds of letters and emails of complaint after it revealed a new recipe substituting cocoa butter with vegetable fat, including palm oil, TV New Zealand said in a report.
 
The report said palm oil had been linked with the clearing of native habitat in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
 
Cadbury products had been banned from Auckland Zoo and a facebook group boycotting the company because of the change, swelled to almost 2,000 members.
 
Cadbury New Zealand managing director Matthew Oldham told TVNZ their recipes would now only use cocoa butter.
 
He said Cadbury was really sorry and the change was a direct response to consumer feedback.
 
“At the time, we genuinely believed we were making the right decision, for the right reasons,” he said.
 
“Cadbury Dairy Milk’s quality is what’s made it one of New Zealand’s most trusted brands for many years. Changing the recipe put that trust at risk.”
 
Auckland Zoo said it was delighted at Cadbury’s decision to remove palm oil from its dairy milk chocolate range.