The European Union has witnessed a sharp rise in reported cases of olive oil fraud and mislabelling in the first quarter of this year, driven by soaring prices exacerbated by inflationary pressures and climate-related production challenges.
Since 2018, the cost of olive oil has more than doubled, with extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis affecting global production. This spike in prices has paralleled a significant increase in “cross-border EU notifications,” encompassing issues such as mislabelling, potential fraud, and safety concerns related to contaminated oils.
According to data obtained under freedom of information laws by The Guardian, the EU recorded just 15 cases of such incidents in the first quarter of 2018. However, this figure surged to a record 50 cases in the same period this year, marking a more than threefold increase.
The notifications reported to the EU Directorate General for Health included instances of oils contaminated with unauthorized substances like pesticides and mineral oils, as well as cases where glass fragments were found. Numerous incidents involved the adulteration of extra virgin olive oil by blending it with lower-quality oils, mislabelling virgin olive oil as extra virgin, and falsely declaring origins.
One notable example involved “lampante oil” from Israel being marketed as “extra virgin olive oil” in Germany. Instances of misleading labelling were reported across multiple borders, including olive oil from Syria via the Netherlands.
Of the 182 fraud and non-compliance notifications concerning olive oil sent to the EU since the beginning of 2023, Italy, Spain, and Greece accounted for the highest numbers: 54, 41, and 39 cases, respectively.
In response to the escalating incidents, the EU implemented new regulations in July 2022, focusing on conformity checks of marketing standards and analytical methods for olive oil.
While acknowledging the increase in notifications, a spokesperson for the European Commission assured that heightened vigilance by member states’ authorities did not imply an increased risk to consumers. The Commission emphasized its zero-tolerance policy towards fraud and highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure the quality and integrity of olive oil in the EU market through workshops and collaborative initiatives among member states.
Professor Chris Elliott from Queen’s University Belfast cautioned that despite the severity of consequences from consuming contaminated olive oil, such products were unlikely to appear on supermarket shelves. He pointed out that smaller businesses and food services were more vulnerable to fraudulent practices due to less stringent monitoring.
Global olive oil production has suffered from reduced levels in recent years due to climate-driven factors, particularly affecting Spain, the world’s leading producer. The International Olive Council projects a 27% drop in production for 2023-24 compared to 2018-19 levels, amidst projected consumption levels of 2.6 million tonnes.
Elliott attributed rising fraud levels to climate-induced inflation, noting that price fluctuations provided opportunities for fraudsters in commodities like olive oil. He highlighted similar issues in other sectors such as chocolate and coffee, where market volatility posed risks of increased fraudulent activities.
Italian authorities have been active in combating fraud, with recent operations seizing substantial quantities of falsely labelled olive oil products. In one instance, 550,000kg of oils purported as olive oil were found to be blends of vegetable oils, underscoring the scale of fraudulent activities tackled by enforcement agencies.
The surge in olive oil fraud underscores the challenges facing the industry amid climate instability and economic pressures, prompting ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of this prized culinary commodity within the EU.