New Contender In Race To Plant ‘Natural’ Flag Wields Consumer View
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
While industry trade associations and research groups develop or already offer certifications so firms can tell consumers their products are approved as natural by expert evaluators, Organic & Natural Health Association approaches the challenge from the viewpoint of consumers wanting to know.
The Organic & Natural Health Association brings to the “natural” fray in dietary supplements and food a survey showing consumer confusion about how and by whom products are certified in addition to an offer to certify products.
While industry trade associations and research groups are developing or already offering certifications so firms can tell consumers their products are approved as natural by expert evaluators, ONHA approaches the challenge from the viewpoint of consumers wanting to know.
“We have an obligation to create a robust consumer education campaign that enables consumers’ access to the information they seek when they make these purchases,” says ONHA Executive Director and CEO Karen Howard.
Natural, Organic Misconceptions
ONHA on Oct. 5 announced results of an online survey of 1,005 consumers by Natural Marketing Institute, including that one-third do not make a distinction between the terms “natural” and “organic” or that government agencies regulate using the terms on products labels (see chart next page).
The survey conducted earlier in 2015 also showed misconceptions among consumers including that most vitamins come from natural sources and that natural means no pesticides are used, ONHA says.
The group also points out while three-fourths said organic foods must be at least 95% free from synthetic additives, almost two-thirds expect the same standard from natural products.
Around half said natural means the product is free of synthetic pesticides and genetically modified organisms, which ONHA says are “attributes that are unique characteristics of organic products.”
ONHA includes consumers as well as businesses as members and would evaluate products from those as well as other companies for its natural certification.
“This effort coincides with the creation of our corporate compliance program. In order to have an effective impact in a voluntary regulatory paradigm we need to engage millions of consumers,” Howard said in response to a series of questions submitted by email.
“Should the federal government then elect to create a certification program, we intend to be the benchmark for their efforts,” she added.
ONHA’s certification likely will be up and running before any federal agency tackles setting a standard for natural.
FDA and the Federal Trade Commission so far have passed on requests to define the term for food and dietary supplements, and FDA also for personal care products, though FTC’s first test could come from Aspire Beverage Co.’s recent rejection of an industry self-regulation group’s decision siding with Gatorade maker Stokely-Van Camp Inc.’s contention that only some ingredients in Aspire sports drinks are natural and the firm’s all natural claims are misleading (Also see "First FTC ‘Natural’ Test Looms From Gatorade Challenge To Aspire Sports Drink Claims" - Pink Sheet, 27 Jul, 2015.).
While the Department of Agriculture also has steered clear of defining naturals, its National Organic Program allows food and dietary supplement products grown in accordance with the NOP to be identified as “organic” and also allowing some products to bear the USDA Organic seal (Also see "In Brief: Organic Guidance; NAD Review; FTC Enforcement; FDA Warning" - Pink Sheet, 19 May, 2014.).
The Natural Products Association plans to adopt a standard definition for “natural” foods and dietary supplements within two years and since 2008 has offered a natural certification program for personal care products.
Contract research group NSF International and cosmetic ingredient tester NATRUE in 2011 began a natural certification platform for personal care products, based on the American National Standards Institute's accredited process (Also see "NPA Contests Claim That NSF/NATRUE Natural Standard Will Be U.S. First" - Pink Sheet, 28 Feb, 2011.).
ONHA’s natural certification, under development and planned for first-quarter 2016 launch, would require a product’s total ingredient makeup to be 95% natural. But a 5% exclusion, determined by a formula also under development, would be allowed for ingredients that are “nature identical and if not made synthetically would likely not be sustainable,” Howard said.
The association has finalized its exclusion list, though it will mirror the USDA’s NOP and include most vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids esters, she added. Vitamins D and E, though, are not on the exclusion list because their synthetic forms are not nature identical.
“Our goal is to support increased access through consumer research and education and we are now embarking on the development of a program that will create a clear, meaningful definition for natural foods, followed by a definition for natural supplements,” Howard said.
An online survey of 1,005 consumers conducted for the Organic & Natural Health Association earlier in 2015 shows misconceptions among consumers including that most vitamins come from natural sources and that natural means no pesticides are used.
Natural Marketing Institute survey for Organic & Natural Health Association