Whole Foods Aims to Give the Whole Story
When a skincare product is labeled "organic," it seems safe to assume that 95% of its contents are indeed organic, just like food that carries the same label. But as of now, that’s not the case. In fact, there are no standards for personal-care items that call themselves organic.
Whole Foods saw the problem as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Beginning next June, the retailer will demand stricter guidelines on beauty and personal care items. If a bottle of lotion sold at Whole Foods is emblazoned “organic,” 95% of the contents will actually be organic. The idea is to prevent companies from labeling their merchandise as organic when only a small portion of its ingredients are.
Since so many personal-care companies want their items sold in Whole Foods, they are going to have to cooperate with the new guidelines. Though this is an exciting step for eco-friendly consumers, we’re still looking forward to the day when “organic” ensures that 100% of an item's contents are natural and safe.
--Kristin Baldwin
