In an effort to preserve rain forests, Sainsbury’s has announced that it will phase out the use of palm oil from unsustainable sources in its own-brand products.

In future, the supermarket will only accept products from sources that have been certified as sustainable. The ban will come into effect in February.

The announcement comes in the wake of similar moves by Asda and Body Shop, which both proposed a similar ban in the summer.

It is estimated that palm oil from unsustainable sources is found in 10 per cent of all food products sold in the UK.