Chocolate bad for more than your waistline

Image by nkzs

Specifically, I mean Cadbury's new formula. If you're a Kiwi you might have seen the new Whittakers' ad, which highlights the nasties of Cadbury's latest formulation (and if not you can check it out on their website). They've reduced the size, the cocoa content and the cocoa butter content, and production now happens offshore. This means we now get less choc for our buck, and what we do get is lower quality. And, apart from selfish concerns, the changes are bad news for the environment too. The shift of production from the iconic Dunedin base to Aussie means more food miles. But, probably more concerning is what they've replaced the cocoa butter with. The ingredient list discloses only "vegetable fat", but word on the street is that palm oil is the new secret ingredient. Palm oil production has had a huge impact on the eco-systems of developing countries such as Indonesia, Borneo and Malaysia. Rainforests have been cut down at an alarming pace to make way for palm oil plantations. The result is a massive decrease in biodiversity in the affected areas, and the destruction of habitats. The poster animal for the ill-effects of palm oil production is the orangutan. The risk to the already endangered orangutan is so great that Auckland Zoo decided to cease stocking Cadbury products when the changes were announced. Rainforest destruction also affects many other animals, birds, insects and plants besides the orangutan.

There are many other brands of chocolate to choose from, even at the supermarket. I've sworn off Cadbury until they clean up their act - will you? And why not sign an online petition to make sure Cadbury gets the message loud and clear?