Sustainable Palm Oil Sustainability

Globally, Indonesia is the largest producer and consumer of palm oil. According to studies, Indonesian consumers are interested in products that are safe for the environment or sustainable products. This paper focuses on the consumption behavior of palm cooking oil, including identifying factors that can encourage consumer behavior to consume sustainable cooking oil. The selection of cooking oil is based on the character of the product that is commonly consumed by households and the raw materials of products derived from commodities that have a material role, in terms of economic, social and environmental aspects. This research used a qualitative approach, through observation and interviews with 47 respondents using focus group interview (FGI) technique. The results showed that 33 respondents chose palm cooking oil based on brand, eight respondents based on habit, and six respondents based on the price. The majority of respondents were not willing to make extra efforts to buy sustainable products, such as having to go to certain stores. Three respondents were willing to pay 10 - 15 percent more, for sustainable labeled palm cooking oil. All respondents were unaware of the existence of sustainable palm oil products, despite shopping at retailers where such products are sold.