September will be Australian Organic Awareness Month, according to Australian Organic, one of Australia’s organic industry bodies, with the promotion focusing on the issue of ‘What really is organic?’
The Australian organic industry is worth more than $1.8 billion, with revenue expected to grow 5.6 per cent domestically and 15 per cent internationally over the next year, the body says.
Given this growth, says Australian Organic CEO Paul Stadhams, it is more important than ever to educate consumers on what ‘organic’ really means.
“It’s a common misconception that, because the word ‘organic’ might appear on a label, the product must be good for you,” he said. “However, this isn’t necessarily the case. We want people to understand that if you want to buy organic then you need to look for a Certified Organic logo like our ACO [Australian Certified Organic] bud logo. This is your 100 per cent guarantee that you are buying real, honest organic products.”
The ACO bud logo appears on more than 17,000 products in a wide range of categories, including cosmetics, cleaning products, bedding and food.
Australian Organic says Australian Organic Awareness Month provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard-working farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers certified by ACO. The promotion will run throughout September.