What Do Ethical, Organic And Fairtrade Mean?

Trying to shop sustainably isn’t easy, whether you’re doing it online, at a supermarket, or at a farm store. Confusing terminology, labels, and symbols mean that even our best intentions are sometimes not good enough.

Get familiar with what the most common phrases seen on food and drink labels really mean.

What does organic mean?

In terms of food, organic generally means:

• without chemical fertilizers
• without antibiotics
• no GM
• animals fed organic food
• high levels of animal welfare

Unfortunately, what was once a simple answer is now incredibly complex from a labeling point of view and depends on whether it is organic food or organic skin care products.

The EU law on prepackaged foods says that if 95% of the ingredients in a package are produced organically, then you can label it as organic.

Different countries have different standards for what constitutes organic farming and food production, so while the word organic is a good guide, the final interpretation depends on what brand you are holding and where it comes from.

Surprisingly, in the beauty industry there is no law regulating the use of the word “organic” at all.

Beauty and wellness brands don’t have to prove where their ‘organic’ ingredients came from or how the product was made, but they can still label it organic.

So always check the ingredient list (if you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not organic) and if you can, dig into a brand’s sustainability policy on their website before making a purchase.

Learn more in our Organic Skincare section.

Soil and organic association

The Soil Association is the UK’s leading organic certification body.

Its principles are based on internationally recognized standards in organic agriculture that cover the land, the people who work on it, the future of the local environment, and the health of food, animals and soil.

Its label has been accredited by more than 6,000 companies in agriculture, food, fashion, skin care, as well as cafes and restaurants, with different organic standards for each.

These are usually broader than what is required by EU law.

For Soil Association Accredited Foods, this means at a minimum:

• less pesticides
• no artificial colors or preservatives
• the highest standards of animal welfare
• without routine use of antibiotics
• Free of GMOs.

The Soil Association also organizes Organic September, a month promoting the health and ecological benefits of eating, drinking and buying organic products.

What is Fair for Life?

Fair for Life is the world’s strictest independent certification for social responsibility and fair trade.

It is the A rating for ethical and non-food food brands that want to demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable planet and a socially just business, as all annual certifications and evaluations can be viewed by anyone.

A Fair for Life label means that the company is committed to ensuring that everyone, at all levels of the production or production process, receives fair pay and has decent working conditions, regardless of whether they work in Belgium or Bangladesh.

Even in developed countries, labor laws may offer limited protection to agricultural workers, and underserved communities may need support: Fair for Life offers protection for all who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

While the label may not be as well-known as others (there are 3,000 Fair for Life products so far), a Fair for Life product is one that has been evaluated and accredited every step of its life, so you don’t need to do anything else. detective.

What does free range mean?

Ah, free field, how pastoral and idyllic you sound. But what does it really mean?

The farmyard label evokes happy cows grazing easily in the fields or plump chickens scratching in the orchard.

However, like many labels, the term “chicken coop” is a very vague term, especially when it comes to meat and eggs.

According to PETA, it is supposed to mean that industrial farmers allow chickens and animals to go outside, but a loophole can make this not happen at all.

At worst, it means that the animals are not caged, but are in cramped and filthy conditions, often drug-fed and less humanely treated.

Let’s be clear, it definitely doesn’t mean the same as organic.

What does ethical mean?

Basically, an ethically produced product must not harm the environment and must fairly support the suppliers, growers or producers associated with it.

But we could write a book on what ethics means and doesn’t mean, it’s another kind of term that sounds great, but its vagueness and non-standardized usage means there is room for greenwashing everywhere.

The discrepancy arises between companies that are willing to prove it, often with other accreditation, and those that are happy to put it on a website and add a few lines about a CSR policy.

The more detailed and transparent an explanation of a person’s production process, supply chain, charity programs, and staffing, the more likely they are to take ethics as a starting point rather than a selling point.

Is it Fair Trade or Fair Trade?

As confusing as it is, there is a difference between one word and two words.

The first, Fairtrade, is an accreditation organization that uses the well-known green and blue label to highlight its member brands that have achieved all of its international standards.

What are the Fairtrade standards?

In essence, the Fairtrade brand means that a brand is fighting poverty and paying a fair price for goods and services at every step of the supply chain.

This is known as the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Fairtrade producers get an additional sum to invest in communities or businesses.

There are different and more complex standards that relate to the environment, producers and growers.

Since 1988, the Fair Trade Brand has expanded to cover a variety of fresh produce, chocolate, wine, gold and silver, cotton, flowers, honey and tea.

However, Fairtrade does not necessarily mean organic. While it requires its farmers to produce sustainably, it does not guarantee that things will be grown organically.

And then there is fair trade.

Fair trade covers any product that conforms to the same fair trade principles, but could be accredited by another organization or not officially labeled.

If there is no label from a third-party organization, you have little assurance that the product or brand is doing what it says it is.

Why Fair Trade Farmers Want World Leaders To Deliver On Their Climate Promises

What is Fairwild?

FairWild ensures that the wild herbs and plants used in things like its herbal teas are grown and harvested in a way that is sustainable for the planet and fair to the people who work in some of the most marginal places on earth.

Companies that want to label their products as Fairwild must commit to supporting sustainable harvesting, social responsibility and the principles of fair trade.

They must purchase ingredients from FairWild certified sources, partnering with their wild plant ingredient suppliers who undergo annual independent checks through the certification scheme.

These become increasingly stringent over a five-year period.

What does the red tractor mark mean?

The Red Tractor logo is not the same as organic.

It does certify that your beef or strawberries are:

• grown and packed in Great Britain
• that fertilizers and pesticides are used only when necessary
• antibiotics are only used when animals are sick

You still accept the idea of ​​industrialized agriculture, but there are rigorous standards and tests at every stage.

What is Happerly?

Happerly is a new food brand that guarantees where food comes from, from honey to bread, from cafes to fish and chip shops.

It will allow you to see behind your food, so you can discover the fishermen responsible for cod in their batter or explore the dairy farms that supply the dairy that makes the butter in the sandwich you buy from the garage.

It is based in the UK but has global ambitions and uses new blockchain technology to build a transparent and trustworthy supply chain that all consumers can see.

While not an organic brand, the farms and producers that have signed up so far tend to be the more sustainable or family-friendly brands that pride themselves on local ingredients and caring for the earth.