13 food labels stand out on sustainability

Walk through any supermarket and you’ll see them everywhere: labels. Meant to be helpful, but often rather confusing. New research by Milieu Centraal now shows that thirteen of these logos truly stand out above the rest. They are seen as the most ambitious labels for food.

Thirteen frontrunners

ASC, Beter Leven 3 stars, Demeter, EU-organic, EKO-NL 3 stars, Fair for Life, Fairtrade, Fair Trade Certified, MSC, ProTerra, Rainforest Alliance, RSPO and Sustainable Rice Platform. That is the list. “These labels clearly stand out,” says Ika van de Pas, managing director of Milieu Centraal. Her organisation compared around eighty sets of requirements across eleven product categories. Not only against the law, but also against common practice and the best examples available.

Consumers want clarity

Not every label is equally ambitious. Still, reliable but less strict logos also play a role in making food production more sustainable. Yet it remains difficult for consumers. More than two thirds feel there are simply too many labels. Often, packaging does not make clear what a logo really means. And still… forty percent sometimes pay attention to labels when shopping, eighteen percent even often. Labels on meat, eggs, and fruit and vegetables attract the most attention.

What people care about

Why do people choose a label at all? For almost half it is about the environment and climate. Animal welfare comes second, followed by working conditions. For tropical products, researchers looked at whether child labour is prohibited, whether workers are free to join a union, and whether farmers receive a premium. And then there’s this: many consumers believe labelled products are more expensive. That assumption is incorrect, says Paulien van der Geest, labelling expert at Milieu Centraal. “Many supermarkets also offer own-brand products with ambitious labels on the shelf. So with any budget, consumers can make more sustainable choices.”

The Keurmerkenwijzer provides clarity. A tool that lets you filter by the themes you find important and shows whether a logo is truly independent and reliable.

Milieucentraal.nl