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Seed oils list for UK shoppers

Published 29 October 2026

The main seed oils on UK food labels are rapeseed (canola), sunflower, soya, corn, cottonseed, safflower, grapeseed and rice bran oil. Seed oils are not banned in the UK, so you'll find them in lots of everyday food.

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This guide gives you the full list, the other names they hide behind, and the oils and fats that aren't seed oils.

What is the list of seed oils?

These are the eight oils most people mean when they say "seed oils":

  1. Rapeseed oil: also called canola. Very common in UK food.
  2. Sunflower oil: very common in crisps, tinned fish and spreads.
  3. Soya oil: also called soybean oil.
  4. Corn oil: also called maize oil.
  5. Cottonseed oil
  6. Safflower oil
  7. Grapeseed oil
  8. Rice bran oil

Our rules also leave out these, even though they are not all seed oils:

  • groundnut or peanut oil
  • palm oil and palm kernel oil
  • palm fat
  • margarine
  • any "vegetable oil" or "vegetable fat"

What other names do seed oils have on labels?

Seed oils can show up in a few ways:

  • "Vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower) in varying proportions." UK rules let makers group refined plant oils as "vegetable oils". But they must name the plants straight after.
  • "Fully hydrogenated" or "partly hydrogenated" oil. UK rules say these words must be shown when an oil is hydrogenated.
  • "Lecithin" or E322. This is an emulsifier. It is often made from sunflower or soya. Our rules leave it out too.
  • "Shortening": a solid fat, often made from plant oils.

Are seed oils banned in the UK?

No. All the common seed oils are allowed in UK food. Rapeseed is grown widely in the UK.

You may see posts online saying they are banned. They are not. If a packed food uses one, the label must name it.

Why do some people avoid seed oils?

People give different reasons. Some want fewer refined oils in their food. Some prefer oils made the old way, like pressed olive oil or butter. Some just want shorter lists. Others are happy to eat them.

We don't make claims either way. We just list foods that pass our rules, and our rules leave out seed oils.

Which oils are not seed oils?

These are not seed oils. Our rules allow all of them:

  • Olive oil, from the olive fruit
  • Avocado oil, from the avocado fruit
  • Coconut oil, from the coconut flesh
  • Butter and ghee, from milk
  • Animal fats: beef dripping, lard, duck fat and goose fat

Seed oil free cooking oils and fats

Olive oil from different shops:

Sprays and air fryer oil:

A spread made with butter and olive oil:

Ghee and animal fats:

Laila Ghee

Laila Ghee

Laila

Swap: Laila Ghee — instead of Blended vegetable or sunflower oil spreads

Label check: Excellent (88)

Protein: 0g per 100g

Morrisons

See the full cooking oils and fats without seed oils list.

Where are seed oils hiding?

Seed oils turn up in more places than you might think:

  • bread, wraps and crackers
  • crisps and snacks
  • mayo, dressings and dips
  • tinned fish in "vegetable" or sunflower oil
  • spreads and margarine
  • ready meals and sauces
  • plant drinks
  • chocolate and biscuits (often as lecithin or palm oil)

How to check a label for seed oils

  1. Find "Ingredients".
  2. Look for "oil" or "fat".
  3. Check the plant name against the list above.
  4. Look for "lecithin" or E322.
  5. If it says "vegetable oil", read the brackets.

Tip: whole seeds are fine. "Sunflower seeds" or "pumpkin seeds" are not seed oils.

Shop guides

Try our paprika sweet potato fries, roasted in olive oil.

FAQ

Are seed oils banned in the UK? No. They are allowed, and the label must name them.

Is rapeseed oil a seed oil? Yes. It is pressed from rapeseed. Canola is a type of rapeseed.

Is olive oil a seed oil? No. It comes from olives, which are a fruit.

Is coconut oil a seed oil? Most seed oil lists don't count it. It comes from the coconut flesh.

Is "vegetable oil" a seed oil? In the UK, it is often rapeseed oil. On food labels, the plants must be named in brackets.

Sources

  • legislation.gov.uk, Food information rules, Annex VII Part A (vegetable oils and hydrogenated oils): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/VII
  • GOV.UK (FSA), Approved additives and E numbers (E322 lecithins): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-additives-and-e-numbers/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
  • GOV.UK, Food labelling: ingredients list: https://www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/ingredients-list

Not sure which oil is in your food? Take a photo of the label in The Better Basket, and we'll check it for you.

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