Is your olive oil FAKE? Prices have surged, however some in style manufacturers are producing decrease high quality bottles from obscure sources
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While a healthy splash of olive oil can improve almost any dish, prices of the delightful vegetable oil are at an all-time high.
A 500ml bottle of Filippo Berio’s extra virgin olive oil now costs around £7.50 – an increase of £3.75 from 2022 – thanks to a series of poor harvests pushing up costs.
However, Walter Zanre, boss of Filippo Berio, has criticised supermarkets for ‘taking the mickey out’ of shoppers, saying that his brand reduced wholesale prices twice last year but the savings have not been passed on to consumers.
‘I think what’s causing it is that even the supermarket was surprised at how resilient the shopper was at high prices, so the view is they don’t need to give it all away for nothing,’ he told Sky News, describing the situation as ‘immensely frustrating’ for producers.
So, as prices continue to soar for a small bottle of olive oil, how can you tell which supermarket varieties are truly worth it?
From the type of bottle used to prevent damage to the oil, alongside specific details of the product’s source and certification, there are a number of tell-tale signs that your go-to olive oil may be somewhat inauthentic.
Indeed, of the 10 popular brands The Daily Mail assessed, nearly half showed signs of its olive oil lacking in high quality, despite the often eye-watering price tag.
Professor Maurizio Servili previously told The Daily Mail: ‘Olive oil is not a cheap product. It’s easier and more economical to make frauds of an expensive product than a cheap product.’
Whether you’re using olive oil to add a hint of flavour to your salads and vegetables, or even for cooking, knowing the difference between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ options can help you avoid splurging on less desirable products.
Sainsbury’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil PDO Umbria Colli Martani
SOURCE: Locally grown Moraiolo, leccino, Frantoio, San Felice and other PDO olive varieties in Italy, with a Protected Destination of Origin (PDO) status.
BOTTLE: Darker style and not made of plastic to prevent it from light-induced damage.
VERDICT: AUTHENTIC
SOURCE: Cerasuola, Nocellara del Belice and Biancolilla olives, grown in Sicily’s Trapanese valley. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Of darker style and not made of plastic to prevent it from light-induced damage.
VERDICT: AUTHENTIC
SOURCE: Spanish olives. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: A clearer and more plastic bottle, which could place the olive oil at risk of damage.
VERDICT: ALMOST AUTHENTIC. While it states the country, it does not make clear which region the oil has been sourced from.
SOURCE: Puglia in Southern Italy. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: A darker style to prevent damage to the oil.
VERDICT: AUTHENTIC.
SOURCE: Spanish olives. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Darker and not plastic to prevent any light-induced damage to the oil.
VERDICT: AUTHENTIC
SOURCE: European Union origin. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Clear and plastic, increasing risk of damage to the oil.
VERDICT: INAUTHENTIC. While ‘made from 100 per cent olives’, the lack of detail about the country the oils have come from places it as risk of being low quality and a mixture of oils.
SOURCE: Blend of olive oils of European Union origin. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Clear and plastic, increasing risk of damage to the oil.
VERDICT: INAUTHENTIC. Unfortunately, the lack of detail relating to the source origin country places this at risk of being lower quality compared to other olive oils.
SOURCE: Produce of the EU. Packed in the UK. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Clear and plastic, increasing chance of damage to the oil.
VERDICT: INAUTHENTIC. While cost-effective, this oil’s vague origin source creates questions around its quality.
SOURCE: Spanish Olives. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: Plastic and clear, increasing risk of damage.
VERDICT: INAUTHENTIC. While the cheapest oil on offer, this product sadly failed to provide great detail about its origin source.
SOURCE: Spanish olives. No reference to its certification online.
BOTTLE: A darker bottle that is not plastic, ensuring that the oil is protected from any possible light damage.
VERDICT: ALMOST AUTHENTIC. While this bottle is certainly impressive, the lack of detail surrounding where specifically in Spain the oil has come from raises questions around its quality.
