This low-cost supermarket olive oil is voted best by French consumer association
The study evaluated 24 oils, including 11 organic varieties
The consumer magazine condemned most of the olive oils evaluated for their “contamination”
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The variety and price of olive oil can vary wildly, but one French consumer association has voted an extra virgin olive oil from low-cost supermarket Lidl as the best.
In its study, 60 Millions de Consommateurs analysed 24 different kinds of extra virgin olive oil, of which 11 were organic.
The brands included Carapelli, Puget, Tramier, Terra Delyssa, as well as those from supermarkets including Lidl, Carrefour, E.Leclerc, and Naturalia.
The winning oil
An oil from Lidl topped the list and was praised for its good quality and absence of pollutants.
This was the:
“In addition to its very reasonable price, this oil stands out thanks to its cleanliness,” said the magazine’s experts. “[It was the] only one in the panel to contain no pollutants. Balanced and with a light fruitiness, it has all the qualities of an oil for everyday use.”
Primadonna also has an organic olive oil version, which is - of course - not the same as the extra virgin version. The extra virgin version is recommended for use in salads or as a garnish, while the other is more suitable for cooking.
Study evaluation
The study evaluated oils for their taste, and health criteria, including:
Overall, the consumer magazine was not impressed. It condemned most of the olive oils for their “contamination”, after it found that 23 of the 24 tested contained phthalates or mineral oil hydrocarbons.
Despite this two other olive oils were also praised by the study for their high quality:
It comes after a 2021 study by fraud detection office the DGCCRF found that 49% of olive oils sold in France were wrongly labelled.
Read also: 49% of olive oil sold in France labelled with false claims
Many did not have any information about the product origin, suggested that products were made in France when they were not; did not have certification numbers or advice for how the product should be stored, and were even mislabelled as “virgin” or “extra virgin” olive oil, when they were not.
To be defined as an extra virgin oil, products must have an acidity level of less than 1%, while virgin oils have acidity levels of less than 2%.
Olive oil is prized for its place in Mediterranean cooking, as well as its health benefits which include high bisphenol content. It can help to lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, and increase good cholesterol (HDL).
Read more: Olive oil in France hit hard by soaring prices and fraud
Read also: Why have olive oil prices shot up in France? How long will it last?
Prices for the oil have shot up in recent years, with another study by 60 Millions de Consommateurs (in late 2024) finding that the cost of olive oil had increased significantly over the previous three years.
Figures from INSEE show that prices of olive oil have risen by 77% in the past three years.
