01.Introduction
With so many endorsement programs now appearing on
food labels, how do you know which ones truly live up to their lofty claims? A CHOICE panel, comprising our food and sustainability experts, scrutinised the claims behind the 10 most recognised health and sustainability logos to tell you which ones get our seal of approval.
The programs we reviewed all have quite different - but all admirable - goals, from improving trading and working conditions of third-world farmers, protecting dolphins against harmful fishing practices, improving nutritional health or supporting sustainable agriculture, through to improving the welfare of commercially farmed animals. We took a close look at how the programs operate and the level of integrity underpinning each program, and assessed them against our stringent criteria.
The 10 programs reviewed are:
- Australian Certified Organic (ACO)
- National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA) certified organic
- Fairtrade
- GI symbol
- National Heart Foundation tick
- Organic Growers of Australia
- Rainforest Alliance Certified
- RSPCA “Paw of Approval”
- Dolphin safe
- Free Range Egg & Poultry Australia (FREPA)
The good news is we found most can be trusted. But two in particular stood out: Australian Certified Organic (ACO) and NASAA Certified Organic.
We take you through the ins and outs of these 10 well-known endorsement programs, highlighting ones we recommend and the ones we believe need to lift their game.