Organic woes

[RogerS]

There's a little shop down our way that specialised in organic nuts and dried fruit. All very fresh and all at a very good price.

SWMBO has just been told that they won't be stocking organic stuff any more. "Why?" she asked.

"Because to keep our prices down we bought in bulkand then repackaged down to 'sellable' sizes that our customers wanted. New legislation now states that if we do this we can't call the product organic any more. So without the organic label customers won't pay the slight premium."

And so the one key differentiator between her little shop and other High Street chains has been blown away at the drop of hat. Sadly I doubt that she will survive for long.

No idea if the legislation comes from the UK or the EU but if by chance the egregious misfit who introduced this daft rule reads this post then own up and tell us why you did it. Otherwise I will continue to think that you are an utter utter pillock. :evil:

 

[christoph clark]

She should call them orgasmic nuts and then have a notice explaining that orgasmic is a term for repacked organic

 

[Smudger]

I'm not saying that she's wrong, but reading this site I think it is debateable.

The key phrase may well be
"If you are buying food that is not packaged, but that is still called "organic" on the shop shelf, loose apples for example, the shop must be able to show you proof of organic certification if you ask for it."

If that is deemed to apply to repackaged goods.

 

[CHJ]

I know little about the complexities of Organic Certification but the obvious main stumbling block I presume is because she has not registered and been certified as an organic business.

Every organic producer or processor is inspected at least once a year by the Certification Body with which they are registered (there are six in total). Another 10% are also checked by UKROFS (United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards), to make sure that the organic inspection carried out by the Certification Body has been completed to the appropriate standard.

What vermin poisons does she use, what chemicals does she use in the packaging areas, (fly sprays cleaning agents etc.) what control systems does she have in place to ensure that there is no contamination of the product beyond that allowed by the organic standards, what labeling regime and records has she in place to ensure that the product has full traceability back to source?

All things the supplier of her bulk packs will have to sign off as adhering to.

I can see it is very frustrating for her not being allowed to pocket the added value of smaller pack production herself but to do this she must also surely pay the price of registering with a controlling body.

 

[RogerS]

All very reasonable replies, chaps. Until you know the whole story.

To put a little context behind my gripe. My wife has a severe allergy to certain types of food, preservatives et al. As detailed in one of the posts above, even the definition of 'organic' is no guarantee since stuff doesn't need to be 100% organic to be described as 'organic'. Just as 'no gluten' is often a load of pineapples since that definition allows for a certain percentage of gluten to be permitted. You have to seek out something that says "0% gluten" to be absolutely sure.

So when she does find something that she can eat without coming out in a rash there is rejoicing. But then to find that it's not going to be stocked any longer because some bloody jobsworth thinks there should be a bloody audit trail...of what? 'Organic' as in 80% organic but we're not going to tell you what the other 20% is?

Just what exactly are they 'protecting' when the bloody stuff can be 30% crud?

Christoph....I salute you...brilliant idea

 

[Slim]

Hi Roger,

Taking your wifes situation into account, what if she went into a shop where they proclaimed their food was organic etc. Then, only after coming out in a rash, does she discover that they were talking b****cks and selling normal food as organic? I think it is quite important to verify organic produce is actually organic.

 

[RogerS]

Hi Roger,

Taking your wifes situation into account, what if she went into a shop where they proclaimed their food was organic etc. Then, only after coming out in a rash, does she discover that they were talking b****cks and selling normal food as organic? I think it is quite important to verify organic produce is actually organic.

Nah...she's too smart for that :wink: She knows all about so-called 'organic' labelling so doesn't get suckered in with the hype. She tests first in small quantities and is very happy to find something that doesn't bring her out in a rash. In this instance, she's found a way round the problem by ordering the bulk bag from the shop.

If 'organic' was truly 'organic' and not 'if the ingredients up to 70% are organic' then the ingredients list can be classified as 'organic' then I could accept all the arguments about potential 'cutting' with non-organic stuff etc but given that 30% to begin with can be non-organic, it does seem rather pointless and epitomises 'jobsworth'.

 

[Rich]

I don't rely on others, I grow my own filberts, and they are BIG, okay you have the hassle of harvesting and shelliing them but by george, they do taste nice, and I know EXACTLY where they came from.

Rich.

 

[Slim]

If 'organic' was truly 'organic' and not 'if the ingredients up to 70% are organic' then the ingredients list can be classified as 'organic' then I could accept all the arguments about potential 'cutting' with non-organic stuff etc but given that 30% to begin with can be non-organic, it does seem rather pointless and epitomises 'jobsworth'.

I must admit, I do find it quite ridiculous that organic food doesn't have to be 100% organic. :?: