As the Daily Mail reported this week, an environmental group has filed a lawsuit against 26 cosmetic companies over claims that products are falsely labelled as 'organic'.
Why does this matter?
Well, no consumer likes being misled, especially so in these straightened economic times. With mid premium products, price is not always a decisive factor with purchasing, the whole brand ethos and easy provenance of ingredients matter much more to customers.
We are pleased our labelling is so transparent
Correct packaging and presentation can raise consumer expectations and reassure, but when unscrupulous brands are caught 'greenwashing' their offerings, or implying a greater natural or organic benefit than the actual contents deliver, then a collective rejection isn't so unexpected.
The Center for Environmental Health's US lawsuit alleges that dozens of questionable products (including shampoos and face washes) do not contain enough organic ingredients to warrant their labels. A case was filed at Alameda County Superior Court last week that relates to a Californian law requiring all organic products to contain at least 70 per cent natural ingredients (grown without pesticides or chemicals).
Legal disputes over organic labelling initially targeted food growers, in 2007. By 2008, cosmetic products claiming to have organic ingredients were also targeted. None of these lawsuits have been resolved yet and the federal government does not have organic labelling rules for cosmetic products. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved California standards (which is a start ...).
CEH are suing the various makers, and dozens of culprits are also highlighted. Their executive director, Michael Green, says:
'For years, organic advocates have called on personal care companies to fix their improper 'organic' labels, but our recent purchasing shows the industry is still rife with unsubstantiated organic claims.'
What do readers, customers, and other Bloggers think about these vexing issues?
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