Advances in mobile technology could do away with some eco-labels as an increasing number of consumer products are given smart barcodes, says consultant group Organic Monitor.
Advances in mobile technology could do away with some eco-labels as an increasing number of consumer products are given smart barcodes, says consultant group Organic Monitor.
Eco-labels currently play an important role in marking sustainable products. Indeed, green symbols and logos are becoming ubiquitous on foods, cosmetics, household cleaning products, textiles, furniture and even toys. However, some consumers are becoming disillusioned with eco-labels because of the shortcomings of many standards and lack of transparency, according to Organic Montior, and a growing number of consumers are now turning to mobile technology applications to meet their informational needs.
Mobile devices enable consumers to get a wealth of information on products from their Quick Response (QR) barcodes. Consumers seeking sustainable products can get details on the product’s environmental, social and even economic footprint whilst shopping. Some brands allow consumers to use the barcodes to ‘track and tell’ the product origins.
Organic Monitor sees US-based GoodGuide as a frontrunner in mobile technology applications. By downloading the smart application on their mobile phones, consumers can get details on various health, environment and society parameters of their products.
The GoodGuide gives ratings for almost 100,000 consumer products and companies. As will be shown in the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit in San Francisco on January, 17-18, Horizon Organic milk has lower environmental rating record then Nesquick strawberry milk. In the personal care sector, Nature’s Gate natural baby shampoo is more toxic than a Johnson & Johnson’s conventional shampoo. By rating products on various criteria, it highlights the shortcomings of many sustainable products.
As consumers become information savvy, they are demanding more from sustainable products. Organic - the world’s largest eco-label for consumer products - has grown to represent a USD 60 billion industry spanning foods, textiles, cosmetics, flowers and related products. Although organic is the most sustainable form of agriculture, production standards do not factor in CO2, water and energy footprints. Thus, an organic apple from Latin America can have a higher environmental impact than a locally grown conventional one. Similarly, a fair trade coffee can give a positive social contribution to the African grower but still have an adverse effect on the environment.
The major advantage of mobile technology is that it can give a holistic picture of a product’s sustainability credentials. Whereas the shortcoming of most eco-labels is that they look at some ethical/ecological aspects in isolation. By ‘naming and shaming’ brands, product-rating systems like those of the GoodGuide also encourage companies to develop more sustainable products. Thus, companies with organic products are now looking at social aspects, whilst those with fair trade products take environmental considerations more seriously. The technology is also making other sustainability indicators like carbon emissions and packaging footprint prominent.
Consumers are likely to benefit from greater transparency and accountability from brand owners; however a question mark hangs over the future of existing eco-labels. With over 500 symbols and logos representing sustainable food products, many consumers are lost in the maze of eco-labels. To these consumers, mobile technology gives an exit route whilst maintaining their green purchasing behavior.
Bart King is a PR consultant and principal at Cleantech Communications.
Published Jan 9, 2012 2pm EST / 11am PST / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET
Bart King is the founder and principal at New Growth Communications. He specializes in helping sustainability leaders develop thought leadership content and strategy