One of the many things I learned during my after yoga class pow-wow, was that some of the “organic” body care products I stock in my master bath are not, in fact, organic. Sadly, some of my so-called healthy, “organic” purchases aren’t even certified…so much for trust. Questionable products I checked in my home included organic body soap, shampoo, and body lotion. When researching my products online, I learned that Whole Foods is doing something to help clean up this mess of misinformation. They announced that beginning June 1, 2011, all organic body care products sold in their stores will have to be certified – a blessing for those of us who need clarification between the fakers and the real deal. Right now, it appears that anyone can claim their personal care products are organic.
In the meantime, I will be looking the actual USDA Certified Organic Seal and will not rely on mere terms on packages such as “eco,” “herbal,” “healthy,” and “organic.”
According to the Organic Consumers Association Coming Clean Campaign, “Whole Foods has told brands that they must change their labeling or formulations to comply with the new standard to be in full compliance with their new policy. Brands that don’t submit an explanation are expected to be dropped from store shelves.”
Kudos to Whole Foods for taking a stance! I only hope that the other health food stores will take their lead.
