At the supermarket, “green” is everywhere

Sorting out what all the labels, and claims, really mean

BY THOMAS GOUNLEY FOR GREENING OF OIL

Perhaps nowhere are we surrounded by more environmental claims than in the modern supermarket. Going “green” is popular these days, and now products brandish more labels, certifications and claims than ever.

According to a report released last April by TerraChoice, an environmental marketing firm, the in-store availability of “green” products increased between 40 percent and 176 percent between 2007 and 2009, with 98 percent of products surveyed making misleading claims, a practice known as “greenwashing.”

(Start the conversation. See comments section at bottom of page)

So I headed to the nearest supermarket to check things out. Coincidentally, a sign at the front of the grocery store happened to be touting their eco-friendly offerings as I went in. Out of 629 offerings in their produce section, it said 51 were organic and 25 were locally grown. In the entire store, they claimed to have 1,388 organic products, everything from apples to pop-tarts.

Here’s a few of the claims pertaining to food products that the average consumer might bump in to on their next shopping trip, and a brief look into them.

Organic

As the sign made clear, the store was proud of its organic products. Luckily, the term has real benefits. In the United States, the National Organic Program certifies organic products with the USDA organic label. Organic means the product was produced without chemical inputs, which means no pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc. The same seal is used whether the product is “100% Certified Organic” or simply “Certified Organic,” in which it contains up to 5 percent non-organic ingredients. Then there’s “Made with Organic Ingredients,” which has to be at least 70 percent organic.

Natural

Compared to the number of food items labeled “natural,” organic is hardly a blip on the radar. The term was in every aisle, whether we were talking about salad dressing or chicken wings. There’s not much regulation for the term, so it may not have meant too much on many of these products. The FDA does have a requirement for the natural claim in two areas.

You know when you read to the end of the ingredient list and it ends listing “natural flavorings.” This is one time the word “natural” has a definition. In fact, the FDA has a 100-word definition of the term, but it basically refers to a substance derived from plant or animal matter, either directly from the matter or after it has been heated or similarly modified.

The FDA also defines “natural” when it comes to meat. It can be used on minimally processed products with no artificial flavorings or added colors. But it can still contain antibiotics or hormones (in the case of beef), which some people may not realize.

Dolphin Safe/Marine Stewardship Council

A small circular label touting Bumble Bee Tuna as “dolphin-safe” popped out to me as I looked at the can. Unfortunately, the different fishing method used to keep the catch rate of dolphins down actually leads to a higher by-catch rate of sea turtles, sharks and other endangered species (whereas dolphins are not endangered), so the benefit here is debatable. The best bet may be to look for a different label, tuna approved by the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets standards for well managed and sustainable fisheries. Chicken of the Sea is one major brand that was MSC approved.

Free Range

Free Range chicken broth was the first item I saw after leaving the produce section, and it popped up again when I looked at eggs. However, there are no set standards for applying the term to beef, pork or eggs. And poultry producers can claim free-range status if chickens have access to the outdoors to the outdoors for 51 percent of their life (whether they go out or not). So the positive feelings this term gives off may not necessarily be well-founded.

Again, these are just a few of the many environmental claims in the modern supermarket. Sometimes you really have to look into them to see whether they’re truthful and well-founded. So pay attention and always be questioning.

Seems like the “natural” thing to do.

About Thomas Gounley

Thomas Gounley is an undergraduate student at the University of New Hampshire, where he’s double-majoring in Environmental Conservation Studies and English-Journalism, with the eventual goal of getting into science or environmental journalism. He’s a staff writer for UNH’s twice-weekly newspaper The New Hampshire, where he covers issues related to science and sustainability.

When not writing or in lab, he enjoys running, cycling, hiking and any other excuse to get outside. He’s a leader in UNH’s Outing Club, and is looking forward to finishing his quest to summit all 48 peaks in New Hampshire above 4000 feet. Originally from Virginia, he also enjoys traveling and photography.