Restrictions on using 'organic' and 'ecological' in company names

Europe has strict rules regarding the use of the terms 'organic' and 'ecological', including abbreviations and translations, in company names. These terms are protected by law and may only be used for the labelling and advertising of certified organic products.

The use of 'organic' and related terms is regulated under Regulation (EU) 2018/848. These regulations ensure that consumers can be confident of compliance with European organic production legislation when they encounter the terms 'organic' or 'ecological' in a company's name or on products.

Application guidelines

Only registered and certified companies by Skal may place the organic label, as prescribed in the regulation, on their products. Therefore, they can also use the terms 'organic' or 'ecological', including derivatives, in their company name, trade name or brand name. 

If a company does not fully comply with organic production rules or is not certified, it is not allowed to use terms such as 'organic', 'bio', 'ecological' or 'eco' in a company name, trade name or brand name. Using these terms would mislead consumers.

Certification or name change

For companies that currently have an 'organic reference' in their company name, trade name or brand name, but are not yet registered with Skal, there are two options:

• Apply for full certification according to the applicable standards.
• Remove the 'organic reference' from the company name, trade name or brand name.

Skal.nl