In recent years, olive oil has become one of the most counterfeited food products in the world. From fake labeling to adulteration with cheaper seed oils, the problem runs deeper than most consumers realize. A series of major investigations across Europe has revealed the scale of this deception and why buying from a transparent, single-estate producer is the only way to be sure you’re getting the real thing.
Europol Confirms Widespread Olive Oil Fraud
Europol’s 2024 Operation OPSON XIII, conducted with national police forces across Europe, seized 22,000 tonnes of counterfeit food and 850,000 litres of substandard beverages, worth €91 million. Among the most targeted products: olive oil. Spanish and Italian authorities confiscated tens of thousands of litres of oil falsely labeled as “extra virgin” but found to be mixed with pomace oil or sunflower oil. These oils were marketed as high-grade EVOO, deceiving consumers and undermining legitimate producers.
According to Europol’s report, fraud rings often blend low-quality or refined oils with a small percentage of real olive oil, using misleading packaging to pass it off as premium product. This is not a minor problem; it’s a criminal enterprise that operates across multiple EU member states, exploiting price spikes and weak enforcement in certain regions.
Spain at the Center of the Crisis
Spain, the world’s largest olive oil exporter, has faced increasing scrutiny. The Guardian reported that 41 of 182 olive oil fraud cases registered in the EU in early 2023 were linked to Spanish producers, compared to 54 in Italy and 39 in Greece. The Spanish Guardia Civil, working with the Italian Carabinieri and Europol, seized 45,000 litres of oil and arrested company owners accused of mixing sunflower oil and pomace oil labeled as olive oil.
This pattern of fraud coincides with record-low harvests caused by drought and extreme heat. In Jaén, Spain—the heart of global olive oil production—temperatures have surpassed 40°C, and production has plummeted by 27% since 2018. With less oil on the market, prices have surged. One hundred kilograms of extra virgin olive oil that cost €262 five years ago reached €787 last year. This price explosion has turned olive oil into what experts call “liquid gold”—and a prime target for fraudsters.
Climate Change and the Rise of Adulterated Oils
As global heating disrupts Mediterranean agriculture, climate-driven inflation is making fraud more profitable. Professor Chris Elliott of Queen’s University Belfast, a leading food safety expert, explains:
“Whenever we see fluctuations in prices of a commodity, it’s always a clear sign of increased fraud. It provides an opportunity for people to cheat.”
Elliott also warned that most counterfeit olive oils are distributed outside of major supermarket chains, often reaching small businesses, restaurants, and online buyers where surveillance and traceability are weaker. In other words, if your olive oil doesn’t come directly from a verified source, there’s no guarantee of what’s really inside the bottle.
Why You Can’t Always Trust the Label
Even official EU designations like PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) can be misleading when enforcement lags behind reality. Fraudulent producers may use fake paperwork, counterfeit batch codes, or even refill legitimate bottles. Laboratory testing has uncovered widespread mislabeling of lampante oil—a low-grade product unfit for consumption—sold as “extra virgin.”
The Guardian’s report also highlights how some fraudulent batches cross multiple borders before reaching consumers, making accountability nearly impossible. With thousands of producers and middlemen involved, even honest brands can unknowingly distribute adulterated oil if their supply chains aren’t tightly controlled.
The Hidden Cost of Cheap Olive Oil
When olive oil is priced far below market value, something isn’t right. Genuine extra virgin olive oil is costly to produce. It requires handpicking, cold pressing, and careful storage to protect the antioxidants that make it healthy and stable. Counterfeit oils, on the other hand, often rely on refined seed oils, chemical deodorization, or artificial coloring to imitate freshness.
Beyond fraud, adulterated olive oil can pose serious health risks, especially when made with low-quality industrial oils or illegal preservatives. Yet most consumers will never know, since the taste and aroma of cheap blends are engineered to mimic the real thing.
The Rise of “Authentic” Olive Oils on Social Media
In the age of viral branding, “authentic” olive oils are everywhere on social media. Videos of golden pours, rustic fonts, and influencer endorsements have become a marketing formula. While many of these brands look genuine, consumers should be cautious. Some new popular companies are U.S. importers sourcing bulk Spanish oil without disclosing their farms or harvest details. The problem isn’t marketing itself; it’s the lack of transparency.
Before trusting any bottle that claims to be “farm-fresh,” make sure you can verify who the founder is, where the olives are grown, and how the oil is produced. At Selo Olive Oil, our farm is located just 20 minutes from Biograd na Moru, near Zadar, Croatia. Verified purchasers are always welcome to email us and arrange a visit if they’re in the area. Real authenticity means openness, traceability, and accountability not hashtags or paid sponsorships.
How to Protect Yourself as a Consumer
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Avoid ultra-cheap olive oils, especially when labeled “extra virgin” but priced below €10/L.
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Look for single-estate or single-source producers—brands that grow, harvest, and press their own olives.
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Check harvest and bottling dates. Genuine olive oil lists both; mass-market blends often omit them.
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Buy directly from small producers who are transparent about their methods and certifications.
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Be wary of vague claims like “Mediterranean blend” or “European origin.” These often mask multi-country mixes.
Why Provenance Matters: The Selo Olive Oil Difference
At Selo Olive Oil, our approach is simple. Honesty, transparency, and heritage. We produce single-estate, cold-pressed olive oil on our family farm in coastal Croatia, where every bottle can be traced back to the grove it came from. No middlemen, no mass blending, no deceptive labeling.
While large Spanish and Italian suppliers dominate supermarket shelves, they also dominate the fraud reports. By contrast, our family farm harvests and presses olives within hours, maintaining freshness, low acidity, and exceptional stability. Each batch is independently tested to verify quality and purity.
When you buy from Selo, you’re not just buying olive oil, you’re investing in trust, tradition, and transparency. In a market flooded with counterfeits, that’s worth more than gold.
Buy Authentic. Buy Local. Buy from a Source You Trust.
Fraudulent olive oil may be everywhere but not in our bottles. Order your authentic Croatian extra virgin olive oil today. Single estate. Family farm. Zero compromise.