Eco-labelling

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I recently learned about the dubious world of ecolabelling and I will never look at the supermarket the same way again! The various types of eco-labeling can be incredibly different in what they claim and how well their claims are backed up. For example, when I looked at one can of tuna, I found four different ecolabels, all claiming different things!

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So how do we navigate this treacherous concept and avoid giving money to companies for their false claims? Well, Dr. Sarah Foster says that it is critical to know the different types of ecolabels. Eco-certifications are the most official because they have to be approved by the government, however they have been criticized for being too pricey for small companies to adopt them. Rankings or recommendations are certifications made by a non-governmental organization that can be distributed to companies who meet the criteria, but these often come with a fee as well. Lastly, self-claim ecolabels are often unregulated and companies can essentially say whatever they want. 

The variety of ecolabel types has led to an effect called greenwashing, where so many products have so many confusing labels that it can be difficult to make the right choice. Dr. Foster suggests that most Canadians consider ecolabelling when purchasing products, so it is crucial that we reduce the amount of greenwashing. One potential solution could be to place tighter regulations on packaging to prevent confusion and raising the Canadian fishing standards to make the whole industry more sustainable independent of consumer choice. 

 

For more information, check out: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/competition-bureau/news/2017/01/not-easy-being-green-businesses-must-back-up-their-words.html

https://www.alternativesjournal.ca/community/blogs/sustainable-aj/what-you-need-know-about-greenwashing

 

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