Sunflower oil is transported at a railway station in Cologne, Germany. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the supply of almost half of the world’s sunflower oil exports, forcing companies to turn to less desirable alternatives such as palm oil in products ranging from potato chips to cookies. Thousands of products, also including ready meals and even wrapping paper,use sunflower oil. Prices are surging and the ingredient will only become more scarce from the summer as Ukrainian farmers may struggle to grow and export the crop. “Sunflower oil prices have gone up 1,000%, but it is less about the price as the oils are often only a small constituent part of the products,” said Richard Walker, the managing director of grocery chain Iceland Foods. “The real challenge is getting your hands on it.” Walker said 450 products Iceland Foods sell are affected and while many can use alternatives, such […]