The Organic Trade Board (OTB) is encouraging members, and UK organic brands more widely, to trial the award-winning Planet-score environmental label.
Last week, the OTB held an online discussion on the topic of environment labelling, describing it as a “vitally important” subject that “needs to be tackled by a united organic industry”.
While the OTB supports the development of environmental labelling for food and drink products as a way of helping consumers make better and informed choices, it says any such label “should be as clear and transparent as possible … and avoid any potential greenwashing which could mislead”.
The OTB acknowledges that the IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) is currently developing a UK label that will give products an environmental score. But it says it is vital that environmental labelling of food should adopt a “holistic product overview, with clear assessments of impacts including pesticides, biodiversity, and animal welfare”.
While a UK label is in development, OTB says it is seeking businesses who would be keen to trial the Planet-score label, an internationally recognised environmental scheme, which has been developed and trialled in the past five years by over 170 organic and non-organic companies and brands in over 11 countries.
“We encourage OTB members and any other organic brands to trial Planet-score, so we can better understand consumers’ reaction as well as have a clearer insight of this approach in the UK. Planet-score has been proven successful with brands and consumers in other countries and provides a good, clear visual assessment of the sustainable practises and benefits of organic.”
Main image: Planet-score label featured on products by organic baby food specialist Hipp Organic. Hipp Organic