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Eco-labels... What's in a name?Part
2: Some
Not-So-Meaningful Food Labels
by
Kristi Wiedemann Free-Range
Found
on beef, poultry and eggs, the “freerange” label has no standard
definition and
is unregulated for beef and eggs, while the standard definition for
poultry is
questionable. In particular, while the wording of this label implies
that
chickens have been free to roam outdoors, in reality this may not be
the case.
Chickens, for example, need only be given access to the outdoors for
“an
undetermined period each day,” which could be as little as five
minutes. And if
the chickens don’t choose to go out, even everyday, they can still
qualify as
“free-range.” Environmentally
Friendly Among
the most popular labels, “environmentally friendly” claims are found on
everything from cleaning and paper products to personal hygiene
products. While
the label implies that the product or packaging is somehow
environmentally
sound, there is in fact no standard government or official definition
for this
term, nor any third party verifying the claim. Therefore, the
manufacturing company
displaying this claim has the liberty to use it on products without the
need
for evidence that it’s actually meaningful or that it’s independently
verified,
unless otherwise specified. Sometimes a manufacturer will cite why
their
product has earned this label, which is suggested by the Federal Trade
Commission, while others do not. Natural
Another
very popular label is “natural.” While this term suggests that the
product contains
nothing
artificial, it is actually only defined by the USDA for use on fresh
meat and
poultry. Otherwise there is no standard or official definition, nor an
independent organization verifying use of the claim. When used on meat
and
poultry, the product cannot contain any chemical preservatives,
synthetic or
artificial ingredients, including flavors and colors and can only be
minimally processed.
For all other products, the producer or manufacturer can choose when to
use
this claim and may use it for its own self-interest. Cruelty-Free
The
“cruelty-free” label is one of the most popular and potentially
misleading
eco-labels found on a wide array of products including household
cleaners,
personal and feminine hygiene products, cosmetics, and fragrances. It
implies
that no animal testing was done on the product or its ingredients; but
there is
no government or official definition, nor an independent organization
verifying
that the claim has any truth. Thus, unrestricted use of this phrase is
possible. You will find many products at the Coop bearing these and
other
eco-labels. It’s important to note that labels deemed “Not Meaningful”
may in
fact be quite meaningful if the producer is responsible in their use of
the
term and their purpose in using it can be clearly defined. In the case
of small
farms, many farmers allow people to visit and see for themselves how
the
operation is run. In other cases, since these labels mean whatever the
manufacturers
want them to mean, consumers should contact the manufacturer directly
to learn
more about claims being used on specific products. To find even more
information about other eco-labels, including those that fall into a
grey area
— such as “biodegradable” and “phosphate free,” which are considered
“somewhat meaningful”
— visit the Consumers Union Eco-Labels site at www.eco-labels.org. |
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