Olive oil fraud and mislabelling cases hit record high in EU

Fifty potential cases in first three months of this year as rising costs lead to increase in parallel market

The EU had a record number of potential olive oil fraud and mislabelling cases in the first quarter of this year as inflationary pressures fuelled an increase in the hidden market for the kitchen staple.

The cost of olive oil has more than doubled since 2018 with production hit by extreme weather caused by the climate crisis and other factors.