Organic food producers are now required by law to display the European Union’s organic ‘Euro leaf’ logo, after a two-year transition period ended yesterday (1 July).
The logo now must appear on all pre-packed organic food products produced in EU member states, but remains optional for non-prepacked and imported organic foods. Other organic schemes – such as the Soil Association’s certification logo in the UK – can remain on display but only alongside the EU label.
Producers were given two years to add the logo to their packaging following the scheme’s launch in July 2010.
Some complained at the time that the new logo would confuse consumers and not have the same level of recognition as established national schemes.
In February, a study at the University of Kassel in Germany suggested most consumers in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Italy and the Czech Republic did not understand what the EU organic logo stood for or what standards it represented.
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