Rising production costs, decreased output due to climate change, and inflationary pressures are cited as contributing factors.
The price of olive oil has more than doubled since 2018, with production severely impacted by extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis. As prices have surged, the number of EU notifications for mislabeling, potential fraud, and safety concerns involving contaminated oils has also increased.
In the first quarter of 2018, the EU recorded only 15 such cases. This number has risen to a record 50 cases in the first three months of this year, marking more than a threefold increase, according to data published by The Guardian.
