‘Fake’ olive oil could be slipped into UK supermarkets

“FAKE” olive oil is on its way to British supermarkets, experts have suggested, as large quantities of sub-par produce are being made in Italy.

The surge of low-grade oil is expected as production costs of olive oil have rocketed by up to 40 per cent as a result of poor harvests and the falling pound. The managing director of one of Europe’s best known olive oil brands, Filippo Berio, has also blamed supermarkets for refusing to raise prices, meaning extra costs are crippling producers.

Walter Zanre told The Grocer: “Since June 2016, my import costs have gone up by over 40 per cent. There is also extreme resistance at retail to accept any increases caused by Brexit and currency devaluation. It puts tremendous pressure on the supply chain.”

Last month, the Rural Payments Agency published test results for 131 samples of olive oils sold over two years and found 43 were of unsatisfactory quality or “adulterated”.

Mr Zanre said he believed that products were most likely failing to meet extra virgin quality criteria because they were oxidised or had flavour defects.

There have been reports of “fake” extra virgin being produced in Italy and Spain, with CBS last year suggesting fake oil was three times more lucrative than cocaine. None has been found in UK supermarkets yet, but James Tyler, director at Lefktro, an olive oil importer, has warned that “ridiculously low” punishments for food fraud are putting consumers at risk.