Number of eco-labels has boomed in last three years

According to the website ecolabel.be, the number of eco-labels in Belgium has tripled since 2006. Already 298 products have an eco-label attached to their name comparing to only 77 in 2006. Although it is not extremely tough to obtain an eco-label, the organization, which generates these eco-labels, looks out to keep a tight rein on these labels by composing new benchmarks every year. Subsequently only one third of all products are able to retain their eco-label. As a result, consumers have an excellent overview of which products are for sale on the Belgian market that carry an eco-label.

Rolly Celine

Eco-labels in China

The awareness of environmental issues is increasing with Chinese customers and companies. Although China already has its own environmental friendly labeling, it would be interesting for China to have an eco-label for the export of televisions. As figures show, the export of Chinese (colour)televisions is massive with a number up to 18.939 million televisions a year. With an eco-label, Chinese stakeholders would have several advantages such as improved market opportunities in Europe as well as financial benefits because of, for example, the savings on energy and water. Therefore it would be motivating for China to have an eco-label from Europe attached to their industry besides their own.

Rolly Celine

Universal standard ?

Together with the booming number of eco-labels, several questions about the truthfulness and reliability of those labels have risen. Lately, some sources have reported severe abuse of eco-labels; rumors about companies buying their eco-labels through the internet, are widely spread. Therefore, the government is obliged to set rules and provide guidance for eco-labeling in order to be able to provide a trustworthy eco-label system. A good system would contain different criteria for each group of products , a third party review and severe punishment when abuse occurs. In conclusion, an Universal standard for “environmentally friendly ” claiming products is necessary to ensure the reliability of the assigned eco-labels.

Eveline Poppe

Eco-labeling at Wal-mart.

Wal-mart, the world largest retailer, is eager to participate in the current eco-label race. Wal-Mart stores inc has announced to plan labeling every single item in the store with a “sustainability index” in order to please the increasing number of consumers who are demanding environmentally friendly merchandise. This index would resemble the worldwide known food label and provide a variety of information such as the number of toxins and the amount of energy needed for production or recycling.

With the index, Wal-Mart stores inc paves the way for its current goal: " using only renewable energy and therefore creating zero waste."

Eveline Poppe

New guidelines to solve problems concerning eco-labels

The FAO* Committee of Fisheries (COFI) took new guidelines for eco-labeling on board to help out marine fisheries. These guidelines are made to assist countries and organizations who wish to use an eco-label but are not confident in how the procedure works to create a proper eco-label. Eco-labels are beneficial for both organizations/countries and the marine fisheries. However, they can cause various problems such as confusing costumers. Moreover, a rather large problem is that it is not easy for underdeveloped countries to obtain an eco-label since they do not have the financial and technological resources similar to western countries which leads to inequitable competition. As a result of these guidelines there would be better equal opportunities for all.

*Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Rolly Celine