Whole Foods Makes Organic Beauty Ultimatum

Whole Foods Market has given the beauty industry an ultimatum by announcing that all personal care products and cosmetics that claim to be “organic” and are sold in Whole Foods stores in the U.S. must be third-party certified by June 1, 2011. The new rule means all products that claim to be organic need to be certified according to the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (USDA NOP) standard, the same standard organic foods are held to. This rule will also apply to products making a “made with organic ingredients” claim. Products making a “contains organic ingredients” claim must be certified to the NSF 305 ANSI Standard for Organic Personal Care products, an industry standard accepted by the American National Standards Institute and managed by NSF International.

What Whole Foods is doing is exactly what Trendcetera has hoped for the beauty market for some time–that the industry would shape the marketplace so that consumers read beauty ingredients labels as they do food labels. In a company press release, Joe Dickson, quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market, was quoted as saying the following: “We believe that the ‘organic’ claim used on personal care products should have just as strong a meaning to the ‘organic’ claim used on food products, which is currently regulated by the USDA’s National Organic Program.”

The company’s requirements apply to all personal care products and cosmetics that use the word “organic” on the product label, or in the brand name. Whole Foods has outlined the requirements to break down necessary steps.

1. Products making an “Organic” product claim need USDA’s National Organic Program standard for organic (>95%) products.

2. Products making a “Made with Organic ________” claim need USDA’s National Organic Program standard for Made with Organic (>70%) products.

3. Products making a “Contains Organic _______” claim need to be certified according to the NSF/ANSI 305 Organic Personal Care Standard.

4. Products listing an organic ingredient in the “Ingredients:” listing need to certify that ingredient to the USDA NOP standard.

The transition is an effort on the part of the Austin, Texas-based retailer, which is working with the help of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. Those making the aforementioned claims must submit their plans to come into compliance on deadline by August 1, 2010.

Let’s call it beauty transparency. Bravo.

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