The trend is moving more and more towards more conscious shopping and in this context organic products are becoming more and more popular on the shelves. However, there are endless products with an organic label and it is difficult for the average consumer to decide which is good and which is not - because not all organic products are the same!
In order to know which organic product really fulfils the promises, it is necessary to clarify what organic actually is and under which regulations the organic labels are awarded.
In theory, a product is organic if it comes from ecologically controlled cultivation and has therefore not been genetically modified and has been grown without the use of fertilisers or protective agents. But where are the differences between the individual organic products in practice?
In hardly any other country are there as many organic labels and quality seals as in Switzerland. There are a total of 31 organic labels in Switzerland. Some do not use artificial chemicals at all, others use additives or plastic packaging. The umbrella organisation Bio Suisse lays down clear guidelines when it comes to the minimum requirements for organic products. As long as these minimum requirements are met, the product may be labelled as organic. However, there are considerable differences above these minimum requirements.
The products then differ above all in the following points:
- Environment - soil, climate, water, soil diversity, etc.
- Animal welfare - species-appropriate feeding, animal-friendly housing, plenty of space to run around
- Social - fairness towards employees, trust, etc.
- Origin - cultivation, fair trade, processing
Important to know:
The Bio Suisse regulations are stricter and more comprehensive than those of the EU, both in cultivation and processing. Now we know how the individual products differ, but which ones fulfil all these points and how does the Migros organic differ from the organic at Aldi? In 2019, the WFF and other partners put the labels through their paces.
The following organic labels completed the tests with 'excellent' or 'highly recommended':
- Organic bud
- Bio natur Plus (Manor)
- Naturaplan (Coop)
- Migros Organic
- Bio Organic (Lidl)
- Naturland
- Demeter
References
https://www.farmy.ch/magazin/lexikon/bio-siegel-vergleich
https://www.wwf.ch/de/lebensmittel-label-ratgeber
https://www.bio-suisse.ch/de.html
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