Attn: Bogus "Organic" Labeling. I'm Just Furious!!!

[TwistNMx]

It has been brought to my attention this morning and I think that everyone should know about this....especially those who care about it. I could not believe my ears!!!

Here's an excerpt of the article:

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), the nation's largest consumer group dedicated to organic integrity, is pleased the nation's largest natural products retailer Whole Foods Market is taking action to address widespread organic labeling fraud in personal care. Such brands as Avalon Organics, Nature's Gate and Giovanni make organic claims on products whose main cleansing and moisturizing ingredients are generally made without any organic material whatsoever and are usually composed in significant part from petrochemicals.

and the link for further details...http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/personal-care-products,1347815.html

 

[LVLY210]

I remember this segment on Nightline -I believe?, a few years back, talking about this problem in grocery stores. They were labeling foods as organic when they were not. Now days, the only way you can be sure things are organic is if you make/produce them yourself.

 

[TwistNMx]

Any other comments?

 

[afrikurl]

I'm glad you posted this. I thought giovanni was all natural. I buy them frequently. I recently noticed that the only organic ingredients were all of the extracts in the water used. I will finish this condish but I want one that is all natural. I think I will stick to Aubrey

 

[WyrdWay]

A lot of the products that I have bought will say organic but if you read the ingredients they will list maybe one or too organic oils.... at the end of the list of chemicals.
The government needs to step up and enforce stricter rules on labeling.

 

[TracyNicole]

You just cannot trust people to do the right thing. Sadly, produce and goods with the organic label tend to come with a higher price tag and unethical individuals will try to cash in by using it when they know they don't have a genuine organic product. Just one more reason I appreciate Whole Foods.

 

[TwistNMx]

Everyone should email the company their complaints and that they should not buy them anymore. It will get them. That's what I'm doing.

http://www.giovannicosmetics.com/contact.php


http://www.avalonorganics.com/?title=Contact+Us

http://www.natures-gate.com/service/contact.asp

There's power by numbers.

 

[TwistNMx]

They must have changed something a few years ago because the conditioner started to make my hair fall. (giovanni)
Another thing, I know someone here on this board who used their products and her hair came out too. (giovanni)
So I don't know what's going on, but I for one will never be able to trust them again.
I used to like the smell and the extra slip of the conditioner.

 

[C@ssandr@]

I'm surprised that more of us haven't resorted to making our own hairstuff. Ive been tired of commercial products and the deceit.

 

[dynamic1]

Good for Wholefoods...Hope my Alba leave in conditioner goes on sale as a result.

 

[TwistNMx]

Just wrote Nature's gate. They have a "fill in the box" form.

 

[TwistNMx]

Good for Wholefoods...Hope my Alba leave in conditioner goes on sale as a result.

Yes! They are exposing these companies.
We own stock in them too.

My husband told me early this a.m. about this madness. He knew I would go through the roof.

 

[TwistNMx]

I'm surprised that more of us haven't resorted to making our own hairstuff. Ive been tired of commercials products and the deceit.

You are SO right.
I'm working on it.

 

[TwistNMx]

I wrote "Nature's Gate". Let's see if they respond. I keep you informed.

I also wrote Giovanni

 

[TwistNMx]

I wrote Avalon and this is what I received FYI:

Thank you for contacting us! Your questions and comments are very important to us.

For immediate assistance our Consumer Relations Team is available to help you at 1-888-659-7730 (Monday - Friday, 7:00am-12:00 & 12:30-5:00pm MT).

For questions regarding ON-LINE ORDERS, please contact Natural Products Shopping at [email protected]. You may also contact them by phone at 877-263-9456 (toll-free), Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 5:00 (CST).

Thank you for your interest in our products.

 

[Bun Mistress]

This is a the problem with the branding term "organic". You only have to have a certain number of organic ingredients to say your product is organic. This has been a presistent misleading advertising ploy that companies have used over the years.

 

[bimtheduck]

The NOP, National Organic Program, allows for some wiggle room when it comes to the term organic. There are a few food items that are already grown organically and have been for decades but b/c of the organics craze some farmers will slap an organic sticker and charge more when they are doing the same thing they've done for years. Kind of like when a whole grain breakfast cereal makes a cliam on the box that it cholesterol free and increases the price when the cereal has always been cholesterol free bc plants dont contain cholesterol. Most farmers would LOVE to farm organically but the food industry in the US makes it really hard and expensive for them to do so.
unless it says USDA organic you cant be for sure. The NOP does NOT regulate non-food products like fibers, and cosmetics i.e shampoo. For the entire US the NPO employes about a dozen people. These non food companies aren't breaking any laws by claiming that there products are organic but they sure are misleading ppl

Okay sorry i highjacked the thread, I'll get off my soap box now. It's just that I'm a dietitian and I'm really into stuff like this. I'm glad you posted this OP and that you took the time to do some research, more consumers should do the same. The ENTIRE thing erks me and dont even get me started on those dang high fructose corn syrup commercials!

 

[LovelyNaps26]

i guess i always figured "organic" was a branding thing, esp., considering who companies are trying to attract when they're stuff is located at places at WF. I always read the ingredients so i know that that stuff wasn't organic anyway. however, the products tend to be better than drugstore brands and at the end of the day my hair is happy. i don't think they should lie but i still take responsibility and read, knowing how companies can be shady. now, when they lie about organic produce and other food, that really is upsetting.

 

[bimtheduck]

i guess i always figured "organic" was a branding thing, esp., considering who companies are trying to attract when they're stuff is located at places at WF. I always read the ingredients so i know that that stuff wasn't organic anyway. however, the products tend to be better than drugstore brands and at the end of the day my hair is happy. i don't think they should lie but i still take responsibility and read, knowing how companies can be shady. now, when they lie about organic produce and other food, that really is upsetting.

I couldn't agree more! People need to take more personal responsibility for what they put in and on their bodies. Those that are capable that is.

 

[justicefighter1913]

Thanks for posting this OP. I know at one point in time I was trying to do the all natural thing, bu then it got way too confusing for me. I know I need to learn how to read lables better......but thanks!

 

[TwistNMx]

i guess i always figured "organic" was a branding thing, esp., considering who companies are trying to attract when they're stuff is located at places at WF. I always read the ingredients so i know that that stuff wasn't organic anyway. however, the products tend to be better than drugstore brands and at the end of the day my hair is happy. i don't think they should lie but i still take responsibility and read, knowing how companies can be shady. now, when they lie about organic produce and other food, that really is upsetting.

It's the petrochemicals that are being hidden.

I couldn't agree more! People need to take more personal responsibility for what they put in and on their bodies. Those that are capable that is.

...And I couldn't agree more.
We do the best we can while at the same time the labels aren't always honest. With that said, I agree with you and that is why I read all labels. I make a lot of my stuff anyway, but the least they could do is not deceive people.

 

[TwistNMx]

Thanks for posting this OP. I know at one point in time I was trying to do the all natural thing, bu then it got way too confusing for me. I know I need to learn how to read lables better......but thanks!

One of the main reasons I posted this is because of awareness. The companies try to confuse people, so it's not totally our fault. How would we know anything if nobody makes a fuss. (that would be me...lol)

 

[lizzyb168]

Companies understand that these days any labelling of products as 'organic' or having 'natural ingrediants' = $$$$$/£££££

A product only has to have say 5% organic/natural ingrediants and they can slap a label on it and watch their sales increase. This isnt only with hair products, but a variety of products which we use and a variety of food and drink which we consume.

 

[fletches]

I'm surprised that more of us haven't resorted to making our own hairstuff. Ive been tired of commercial products and the deceit.

I have. I bought a mini fridge to store all my stuff too. I read the labels of everything I buy, and most of the stuff we think is natural & organic is not esp. the hair stuff.

I was highly upset after going into Whole foods looking for body wash & hair stuff and found nothing

 

[Danniquin]

You have to check the ingrediants on organic products really good because technically a product only has to have 70% of the ingrediants be organic in order to label it as organic. Those are the standards for a product to be certified organic.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

They must have changed something a few years ago because the conditioner started to make my hair fall. (giovanni)
Another thing, I know someone here on this board who used their products and her hair came out too. (giovanni)
So I don't know what's going on, but I for one will never be able to trust them again.
I used to like the smell and the extra slip of the conditioner.

I DO KNOW THE INGREDIENTS CHANGED AS OF RECENT

HAD BEEN RESEARCHING FOR A NATURAL LEAVE IN.... ORDERED....SUCKED!!!
SENT 15 BOTTLES BACK (VITACOST) THE OLD INGREDIENTS SAY OILS....ROSEMARY OIL...NOT EXTRACT (AS IN THE NEW FORMULA)
MASSAGE WAREHOUSE HAS THE OLD FORMULA....(COMPARE THEM)

BUT STILL NOT ORGANIC INGREDIENTS....

 

[Stiletto_Diva]

I always wondered why people raved that Giovanni was organic. All you have to do is read the label and see that it is not.

 

[katblack]

It has been brought to my attention this morning and I think that everyone should know about this....especially those who care about it. I could not believe my ears!!!

Here's an excerpt of the article:

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), the nation's largest consumer group dedicated to organic integrity, is pleased the nation's largest natural products retailer Whole Foods Market is taking action to address widespread organic labeling fraud in personal care. Such brands as Avalon Organics, Nature's Gate and Giovanni make organic claims on products whose main cleansing and moisturizing ingredients are generally made without any organic material whatsoever and are usually composed in significant part from petrochemicals.

and the link for further details...http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/personal-care-products,1347815.html

Girl you didn't know?! LOL, Just kidding. The thing is they need to inform othesr on how to spot whether a product is actually organic or not. If they have the USDA seal they are for the most part organic.
A lot of companies will do what is called greenwashing which is just having a couple ingredients that are organic but they are still using chemicals. Also they will call their products names like Organique or Natural which means nothing without the seal.
Oh yes, not all products can afford or feel the need to get the seal and they may be organic. The seal is just a safe assurance.

 

[TwistNMx]

Girl you didn't know?! LOL, Just kidding. The thing is they need to inform othesr on how to spot whether a product is actually organic or not. If they have the USDA seal they are for the most part organic.
A lot of companies will do what is called greenwashing which is just having a couple ingredients that are organic but they are still using chemicals. Also they will call their products names like Organique or Natural which means nothing without the seal.
Oh yes, not all products can afford or feel the need to get the seal and they may be organic. The seal is just a safe assurance.

Well, I don't have that worry anymore. This has encouraged me to research and now I make "my own" shampoo. My hair is more manageable too.

 

[TwistNMx]

I've been contacting the companies, but they haven't replied so I'm guessing that they are running scared.
So much for "customer service".
I've also noticed that Giovanni and Nature's Gate "suddenly" went on sale at my local health food store.
So all in all this has been a blessing in disguise for me. I don't buy shampoo anymore because I make my own.
Geez! What took me soooo long???