Karin Bornett
According to Global 2000, there are far more than 1.000 quality marks in German-speaking countries alone - "One can speak of a jungle of quality seals without exaggeration," says Barbara Studeny, the company's executive board. In addition, there is no clear distinction between the seal of approval, the label and the brands. “Seal of approval promise clarity, but rarely fulfill it. How can you know whether there are sufficient external controls, an improvement system, transparency and fairness along the value chain and whether the product is ultimately more climate-friendly, animal welfare-friendly, healthier and more ethical? To do this, you would have to deal with each quality seal in detail. "
But ignorance is still great. Studeny reports of tests that prove this: "Two coffee packs, both visually and in terms of price, only one with an invented, good-looking seal of approval, the other product without: The pack with seal of approval is chosen more often in the test situation." Willi Luger too , Founder and managing director of CulumNatura knows of the blind trust in the seal of approval: “Years ago I tested some products with an invented seal of approval as a test. I was never asked again why I don't have a seal of approval. Before that, I received such requests every day. But I was never asked what my self-designed seal of quality actually stands for, ”he says with a smile.
Still, the topic is serious. And natural cosmetics pioneer Luger is annoyed about the quality label and label with false promises: “The Austria Bio quality label is, for example, a quality label with very high quality standards and guidelines. If, for example, products from abroad are labeled "organic", this does not mean that they meet the same high standards as Austrian products with the Austria Bio seal of approval. That is distorting competition. Such products should actually be labeled with an addition that they do not comply with domestic guidelines."
Studeny says: “It is actually the case that many innovative companies want stricter specifications to be supported for their commitment to sustainable development. Companies that are carbon-neutral, for example, because they have implemented innovative circular processes, find it a farce if other companies can adorn themselves with the same CO2-neutral label by buying cheap CO2 certificates. ”
Pay attention to the EU organic label
In fact, there are only very few quality labels with state regulations - at the EU level, for example, this is the European organic label and at the national level the AMA label. "The EU organic logo stands for the fact that the legally binding requirements of the EU organic regulation must be complied with during production, processing and trading. No other food sector is as strictly regulated as organic, ”says Markus Leithner from Bio Austria. Barbara Studeny explains: “The EU organic label is committed to a valid minimum standard for organic production throughout the EU. In any case, a company that meets these criteria is already quite well positioned. Of course, you could and should go further here.
An example: An EU organic farm can produce both organic and conventional, which increases the risk of confusion when packaging - but not in Austria, here only the whole farm can be certified organic. Some animal husbandry criteria are also weaker in the EU standard than for organic from Austria. ”According to Leithner, caution should be used with terms that want to give the appearance of organic by means of flowery attributions. For example: "From sustainable / environmentally friendly / natural production". Other adjectives that are often used: "Natural" or "natural". "This is often about greenwashing or trying to give consumers the impression of special services in the environmental or animal welfare sector. My advice: hands away and instead go for organic food, recognizable by the green EU organic logo, ”says Leithner.
Turn the tables
Studeny is convinced that politicians at EU and national level are fundamentally asked to create framework conditions that favor sustainable companies. “In this context, this includes not only stricter regulations for quality seals, but also more generally for“ environmental claims ”. In Austria, not even applicable EU requirements are implemented due to the lack of a binding possibility to lodge complaints, since the advertising council, which is only a voluntary body of the industry, generally does not fulfill its responsibility here. "
"Instead of labeling organic, products that are not organic should actually have to carry a label. "
Willi Luger, Culumnatura
For Willi Luger we live in a wrong world, so to speak. "Instead of labeling organic, products that are not organic should actually have to carry a label," he says. Studeny agrees: “The requirement to label everything that is unsustainable and to include externalized costs such as loss of biodiversity, pollution and costs that the health system incurs is not new. Today, these costs are generally borne by society - that is, all of us - when, for example, removing environmental toxins or treating diseases caused by pesticides. There is of course a reorganization of the economic system behind these demands. Many large companies, institutions and wealthy people have invested their money on the assumption that everything will continue as before. So far-reaching interventions require a lot of courage, selfless perspectives and political dexterity. ”
She advises us consumers: “Buy only what you need, avoid unnecessary and waste. This is the most important measure and saves the budget. Buy as unprocessed, unwrapped, regional, seasonal and organic as you can get. If you consume less meat and animal products, you are doing a lot for climate protection. And if possible, leave the car behind and do your shopping on foot or by bike. This way, you can consume more environmentally friendly without paying much attention to seals. "
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