Honey is targeted for falsification and fraud because of its economic value. Specialist honey types such as Manuka honey are particularly targeted for falsification. One study cited that in 2013 about 1 700 tons of Manuka honey was produced in New Zealand yet that same year near 10 000 tons of Manuka honey was sold globally. This incredible gap has likely been substituted by fake honey or fraudulent products.

What is honey adulteration and honey fraud?

Honey adulteration includes instance where external products (e.g. syrup, water, chemical compounds, etc.) are added to a honey with the aim of increasing the volume of product to sell or misrepresenting its origin.

Honey fraud is the purposeful misrepresentation of a product as a means to persuade a consumer to purchase the "honey". Honey fraud can take many forms. A fraudster may sell syrup under the guise of honey. Someone may sell one type of honey under the label of another (e.g. Blue Gum honey as Canola honey, or multifloral honey as monofloral honey). A honey may be marketed as "Pure", "Organic", "Unfiltered", "A product of South Africa", or "Local" when this is not the case. South Africa has strict labelling requirements for honey.

How common is fake honey? 

Unfortunately, honey is the third most targeted food for falsification, just after olive oil and milk. Academic literature and government reports have shown a sharp increase in the volume of fake honey circulating in the global market. A study by Prof. Norberto L. García showed that between 2007 and 2014 the world's number of bee hives increased by 8% while the volume of honey exported over the same time grew by 61%. Honey fraud is so rife that is has stalled one of the most prestigious international honey competitions in its tracks. A newsletter regarding the competition was released in 2024 by the competition organiser, Apimondia.

Various colours of honey jars.
How does fake honey get around?

Fake honey can originate locally or internationally. Fake products that are produced locally ought to be detected through routine testing, with non-compliant products confiscated and the product chain investigated. 

Fake honey that is imported may enter a country through several illegal pathways. The first is through mismanifesting, which is when a product is misrepresented to customs authorities as another type of product. An example of mismanifesting would be when honey is imported under the guise of syrup. This is often done to circumvent tariffs or trade restrictions on a particular product. Transhipping, or "honey laundering", is also an illegal pathway of distributing honey to avoid tariffs or trade restrictions. Honey laundering is when honey from one country is shipped to a third party, the true origin of the product then obscured, and the product then marketed as a product of the third party. 

How can we fight against fake honey?

Honey fraud and adulteration is economically motivated, and as long as it remains economically viable for fraudsters to pursue, fake products will persist in the market. The incentive to produce these products can be reduced in several ways. 

  1. The first is to raise awareness about fake honey. Awareness empowers consumers to be able to identify and avoid suspicious products.
  2. Consumers can put pressure on the industry to implement more regular or stricter routine testing of honeys available on the market.
  3. Consumers can serve as the eyes of the industry and report any suspicious products to the Department of Agriculture. Reporting suspicious products will help law enforcement confiscate these products from the market.

Industry stakeholders also have their own responsibilities towards fake honey. 

  1. Scientists could prioritise research that addresses the current and most pertinent challenges of their local industry. This research should also be made accessible to as many industry stakeholders as possible.
  2. Beekeepers and honey brokers could implement systems to show the transparency of their supply chain, and it would be beneficial for these to be accessible to consumers.
  3. Industry associations could strive to promote awareness of fake honey to all stakeholders of the industry. Stakeholders may include honey consumers, beekeepers, honey distributors, and policy makers. Associations can also support consumers who wish to report non-compliant products, support their members to be compliant with national labelling and compositional requirements, and promote collaboration between the industry and the various stakeholders.
  4. The government could implement more routine testing initiatives on products that are available on the market to disincentivize the production and distribution of fake honey.