LIKE ORGANIC? HERE’S HOW TO PICK
All that’s green is not always organic. Here’s a guide to help you choose the right products
SOMETIMES BRANDS USE TERMS LIKE PLANTBASED AND NATURAL TO TRICK THE CONSUMERS INTO THINKING THAT THE PRODUCT IS ORGANIC
Organic is the buzzword in marketing today. Be it organic food, cosmetics, clothes or even organic medicines, they’re all the rage.
What has caused this sudden love for all things natural? Well, after almost a decade or two of globalisation, the trend we’re currently is seeing is ‘glocalisation’ — getting back local ingredients and using fresh produce as much as possible. Hence, haldi and chandan instead of sea weeds, desi ghee instead of olive oil and khadi instead of Zara has become the ‘preferred’ choice.
In fact, according to a recent survey by Euromonitor, the world leader in strategy research for consumer markets, over half of Indian consumers went for natural or organic features when it came to hair and skin care purchase decisions.
Around 71 per cent of consumers that were surveyed said that they would pick up a face cream or lotion if it claimed to be natural.
However, while you are shopping for these organic products, it’s hard to differentiate between what’s genuine and what’s not. So, we spoke to experts who tell you how to pick an authentic organic product.
CHECK CERTIFICATION
Most of the organic claims (by brands) are false and they do not even mention the percentage of organic ingredients in the products.
“One should always buy an organic product because that is the purest form of nature, good for your skin, helps maintain a good equilibrium. But these days, most of the brands claim to be organic without having any certification that’s globally recognised. The globally recognised organic certification bodies are Ecocert, OneCert, Natrue, SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, etc,” says Gautam Dhar, CEO and director, Divine Organics, which is India’s first skin care brand certified by Ecocert.
CHECK THE PERCENTAGE OF ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Sometimes brands use terms like plant-based, natural, etc. to trick the consumers into thinking that the product is organic. “The plant-based ingredient should be grown organically, without the use of any chemicals, for the product to be truly organic. Knowing the difference between truly organic and made with organic ingredients is the key. A true organic product has at least 95 per cent of ingredients that are organically grown,” suggests Sargam Dhawan, CEO and director, Paul Penders Botanicals India, which is certified by American Vegetarian Association (AVA), certified vegan, FDA compliant, and EWG verified.
CHECK THE FORMULATION
A lot of brands advertise that they have paraben- and phthalate-free products, but instead of only going by their claim, you should check whether those ingredients are mentioned on the product packaging or not.
“Look for the ingredients on the package — they should not include petroleum, SLS/SLES, silicones, parabens, DEA/TEA, phenoxyethanols or artificial fragrances and colours. And that it’s mentioned that [the product] is not tested on animals,” says Vishal Bhandari, CEO & founder of SoulTree, which is certified by the European certification agency, BDIH of Germany.
CHECK FOR THE CERTIFICATION LOGO
Make sure that the logo of the certifying organisation is printed on the label of the product. “Be mindful and look out for the verification mark on these products, claiming that they are organic/ Ayurvedic. The logo of the certification is always imprinted on the product,” says Ishaan Jain, director Biotique. “See if the products are certified, and if the copy of the certificate is available with the retailer of those [organic] brands or products,” adds Dhar.
With these handy tips, we hope what you’re looking for and what you buy is free of toxins and chemicals! Good for you; good for the planet.