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COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — Eco-conscious grocery shoppers say they remain committed to their green purchasing habits, but they've grown wary of "natural" labels and say there should be standards for products bearing that description.
The findings are among the results of a poll conducted by Mambo Sprouts Marketing to gauge the buying habits and the outlook of 1,000 consumers of organic and natural products. Mambo Sprouts is releasing its results in a study that will be available for purchase in January.
According to Mambo Sprouts:
- 34 percent of respondents said they are "not very" or "not at all" confident in "natural labeling."
- 65 percent said they are "very interested" in seeing standards set or certification for products that are labeled "natural," as the chart below indicates.
- When asked about their preferences for administering certification, 33 percent favored oversight by an independent nonprofit organization; 27 percent said a government standard would be acceptable; 23 percent said an industry- or company-supported standard would be all right and 18 percent indicated retailer certification would suffice.
Interestingly, Eco Pulse -- the annual survey conducted by green advertising firm Shelton Group -- has shown for the past two years that mainstream American consumers are more likely to reach for products labeled "all natural" or "100 percent natural" rather than "organic," often because shoppers mistakenly believe that use of the term "natural" is regulated.
Glad to hear consumers are
Glad to hear consumers are wary of the word "natural" on food labels, as they should be. My new book, "Read It Before You Eat It" (Plume) highlights many tricky marketing terms meant to sell products and not necessarily meant to sell healthy products. Please check my website betterthandieting.net or follow me on twitter @eatsmartbd.
Not all "green" or natural
Not all "green" or natural labels have the same standards. This applies to food, and it applies to gadgets and appliances as well. For example, when looking for solar powered light bulbs or energy generators, one should look at certain standards such as durability, longevity and superb performance. You can find many energy efficient and environmentally friendly home appliances at Organic Mechanic. Feel free to check it out!