Label Mouse says:
From the same Italian NGO (called WSO) that manages 'Friend of the Sea', this label covers a wide range of sustainable agriculture practices.
There's a lot in each section but its focus is the farming methods and environment with very little on animal welfare beyond meeting the legal requirements in the producers country and some light touches for poultry.
On the human front it's also very light - meet ILO standards on child labour (meeting the SA8000 standard), pay 'minimum' salaries and 'access to healthcare' - the focus being on farmland rather than workers. The SA8000 standard btw means no more than a 48 hour week and ONE day off a week. Better than nothing, but basically a minimum.
Companies wanting a Friend of the Earth label are audited and accredited by WSO themselves with a fee ranging from 500-235,000 Euro based on the size and output of the producer (or retailer).
Label Mouse is lukewarm about this one - the number of schemes and 'save the 'x'' campaigns run by WSO makes us wonder if they're show over substance, but if the environment is your focus then Friend of the Earth is better than nothing.
They promise:
Certifies that the item has been developed within the guidelines of the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) - full details in the links below.
The product needs to be produced in a way that: safeguards the ecosystem, protects wild fauna and flora, soil and water, prohibits the use of dangerous substances, displays responsible waste and energy management and respects social responsibility along the whole chain.
There are a lot of food labels out there, but its pretty unclear what they mean.
With the UK leaving the EU we're able to define our own regulations on how our food is produced, the impact on the environment and how the animals involved are cared for. This could be a good or a bad thing. The extra player in the mix is that brands are introducing their own schemes which can appear more eco-friendly than they actually are.
Label Mouse does the research to help you make more informed buying choices. Hope it's useful.
Suggestions and support welcome!
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