In the contemporary world, making conscious and sustainable choices when purchasing food products has become essential for many consumers.
More and more people are looking for foods that are environmentally friendly and produced ethically.
However, with the abundance of information on labels, fully understanding which products are truly sustainable can be complex.
This guide will help you navigate through eco-friendly and sustainable labels, explaining the different meanings and the main certifications that indicate an eco-friendly product.
Organic Certifications - A Natural Choice
When a food product is labeled as "organic", it means that it has been grown or raised without the use of chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or antibiotics.
The most common certifications include:
- European Organic Logo: In Europe, organic certification is regulated by EC Regulation 834/2007.
Organic foods must display the European organic logo, a stylized green leaf on a green background.
- Soil Association Organic: certification used in the United Kingdom that follows strict standards for organic production.
- Bio-Siegel: one of the most well-known organic certifications in Germany.
- USDA Organic: certification recognized in the United States, ensuring compliance with national organic standards.
- JAS Organic: Japanese certification for organic products, with its own regulations.
Although each country has its own regulations, the common goal is to ensure that organic agriculture is environmentally friendly, preserves biodiversity, and reduces the use of chemicals.
Zero Kilometer Products - Short Supply Chain to Reduce Environmental Impact
The concept of "Km 0" is particularly widespread in Europe and represents a short supply chain, meaning a distribution process that minimizes the distances between the place of production and the point of sale.
Labels that identify these products include:
- Eat Local: used in France, ensures that the food has been produced and sold within the same region, reducing CO2 emissions related to transportation.
- Zero Kilometer Product: in Italy, this label is common in agricultural markets and for fresh products, promoting local economy and food freshness.
These products not only limit environmental impact but often also guarantee greater freshness, as transportation times are reduced.
Environmental Impact Labels - A Guide to Carbon Reduction
In recent years, many companies have started to include information about the environmental impact of their food products.
Some of the main certifications to measure carbon footprint include:
- Carbon Trust Label: widespread in Europe, this certification indicates the greenhouse gas emissions for each stage of the product's life cycle, from production to transportation.
- Carbon Footprint Label: a global certification that allows consumers to assess the ecological footprint of products.
- Climate Neutral Product: indicates that the environmental impact of the product has been minimized or completely offset through reforestation projects or other environmental initiatives.
These labels provide valuable guidance for those wanting to reduce their ecological footprint by choosing products with low environmental impact.
Fair Trade Certifications - Focus on Ethics
Fair Trade labels ensure that producers, often located in developing countries, have received fair compensation for their work and that sustainable practices have been followed.
The main certifications include:
- Fairtrade International: widely recognized certification in Europe, covering a broad range of products from coffee to chocolate, and ensures fair working conditions for producers.
- Fair Trade Certified: similar to Fairtrade International, but primarily used in the United States.
- Fair for Life: a variant you might find in Asia, also with ethical and sustainable goals.
These certifications not only promote fair treatment of workers but also agricultural practices that respect the environment and local communities.
MSC Label - Sustainable Seafood Products
To ensure the sustainability of seafood products, look for these labels:
- MSC (Marine Stewardship Council): an international certification that ensures seafood comes from sustainable fishing practices, respecting fish stocks and not harming marine ecosystems.
- ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council): a certification concerning sustainable aquaculture, a practice that limits negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems and promotes the welfare of marine species.
Local and Geographical Origin Certifications
Many European countries have developed their own certifications to ensure the authenticity and quality of products based on their geographical origin.
The main certifications include:
- PDO (Protected Designation of Origin): a certification indicating that a product has been produced, processed, and prepared in a specific geographical area, following traditional methods. It is common for cheeses, wines, and oils.
- PGI (Protected Geographical Indication): similar to DOP, but allows more flexibility in production processes.
- AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée): mainly used in France for products like wine and cheese, ensures that products adhere to local agricultural traditions.
Eco-Labels - Environmental Certifications for Sustainable Products
In addition to origin and organic farming certifications, there are labels certifying that the product, or its packaging, has a reduced environmental impact.
The main labels of this type include:
- EU Ecolabel: a voluntary European ecological certification that awards the label to products and services that meet strict environmental criteria throughout the product's life cycle.
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel: widespread in Nordic countries, this label promotes products with a low environmental impact.
- Blue Angel: a German certification that guarantees eco-friendly products, from production processes to disposal.
- Green Seal (United States): one of the most well-known ecological certifications in the United States, Green Seal certifies that a product or service meets stringent environmental standards to reduce impact on the planet. It covers various product categories, from cleaners to office supplies.
- Energy Star (United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand): although mainly focused on energy-consuming products (such as appliances and electronic devices), Energy Star certifies that products are energy-efficient, helping to reduce environmental impact.
- Eco Mark (Japan): this Japanese ecological label, managed by the Japanese Environment Association, ensures that products meet strict environmental criteria. It applies to a wide range of categories, from consumer goods to building materials.
- Environmental Choice New Zealand (New Zealand): New Zealand's Eco-label certifies products and services that meet high ecological standards, covering categories such as cleaning products, building materials, and packaging.
- China Environmental Label (China): similar to the EU Ecolabel, this certification ensures that Chinese products meet environmental standards to reduce pollution and promote sustainability.
- Green Label Thailand (Thailand): a label developed by the Thai government and the Ministry of Environment to promote eco-friendly and environmentally respectful products. It is widely used in Southeast Asia.
Reading and understanding eco-friendly and sustainable labels on food products can seem complicated, but once you become familiar with the main certifications, it becomes easier to make informed choices.
Knowing the origin, production method, and environmental impact of what we buy is essential to support a fairer and more environmentally friendly food system.
Labels such as organic, zero kilometers, Fair Trade, MSC, and PDO/PGI are valuable tools to guide consumers towards purchases that respect not only human health but also that of the planet.