The number of organic labels in the food industry is increasing. Ecovia Intelligence sees most developments in North America where new organic schemes are gaining popularity. The trend raises questions about the future direction of organic labelling.
The USDA Organic seal is highly visible on organic products in the US market, whilst the EU Organic logo is omnipresent in Europe. Both organic labels are protected by government regulations however a trend is that some producers are opting for new organic schemes.
Introduced in 2000, the USDA Organic seal is present on certified organic foods. The US has the largest market for organic foods in the world, valued at almost USD 64 billion in 2023. Eighty-eight percent of American consumers recognise organic products - mainly by the USDA organic seal - according to a survey by the Organic Trade Association. However, some organic producers look at the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) as a baseline and are opting for higher standards.
Organic pioneers are adopting the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) scheme. Introduced in 2020, the standard has been adopted by almost 300 farms and 61,104 smallholder farms that manage 18.4 million acres of land. The standard has three pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Certified products carry the ROC logo, which is becoming more visible on organic products in the North American market.
The ROC standard has been adopted by 223 brands; these include leading American brands such as Nature’s Path, Alter Eco, Bonterra Vineyards, and Lundberg Family Farms. International operators are also adopting the ROC standard; they include Aliet Green (Indonesia), Big Tree Farms (Indonesia), Daabon (Colombia), Native (Brazil), Serendipol (Sri Lanka) and EcoFarms India. The international fashion brands H&M and Patagonia have also adopted the ROC standard for organic cotton.
Other organic producers are turning to The Real Organic Project, a farmer-led grassroots movement that started in Vermont in 2018. The standard goes beyond the USDA NOP, covering organic foods that are soil grown and pasture raised. Over 1,000 organic farmers have adopted the Real Organic Project standard. Certified products have the Real Organic Project label.
In the fragmented European market, it is already common to see organic products with more than one label. Introduced in 2010, the EU Organic logo is mandatory for packaged organic foods in the European market. In Europe’s largest organic food market Germany, many organic products have the logos of Naturland, Bioland and similar organisations, as well as the EU organic logo. The Bio-Siegel (German label for organic products) is also highly visible. Other countries also have national seals for organic products; France has the Agriculture Biologique (AB) label, whilst Denmark has the Ø-label. In Germany, the Bavaria state launched the regional organic label: Bayerisches Bio-Siegel in 2015.
Outside Europe and North America, many countries also have national logos for organic products. These include Brazil, India, Japan, and China. However, many countries without a strong organic sector rely on third party standards. For instance, many producers in Asia and Africa adopt European and / or American organic agricultural standards.
As will be shown at the Sustainable Foods Summit, the absence of a single international organic standard raises questions about the future of organic labelling. It is becoming increasingly common for producers of agricultural commodities in southern hemisphere countries to adopt a number of organic standards for export markets. For instance, an organic tea producer in India would have to adopt the EU standard for the European market, USDA Organic standard for the US market, JAS standard for Japanese market, and Indian organic standard for the domestic market.
At the consumer level, it is becoming increasingly common to see multiple labels on organic products. As more producers adopt higher standards, there are concerns about label proliferation. Consumers are demanding organic products, however they may ask why some products are ‘more organic’ than others.
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