The queue for mislabelling of organic products is seemingly getting longer and the latest to join the queue is reportedly the organic retailer giant, Wal-Mart. Facts provided reveal that organic farming watchdog, Cornucopia Institute, had complained the USDA regarding the fraud play done by Wal-Mart in labeling inorganic foods as organic, which Cornucopia claims includes “all-natural yoghurt’ to soya milk “made from organic soybeans”.
Wal-Mart has the temerity to state about consumer awareness regarding USDA label on packaging, but it has forgotten that not all consumers in supermarkets are aware of federal labels on food packets. It is awful when an organic retailer makes such a statement at the backdrop of a business where consumers make organic purchases on the basis of trust.
USDA should make strict code of consumer ethics for the food manufacturers, especially the ones restricted to the production of health foods. Moreover investigations into the of health-food supplies, after a reported scandal is not useful. USDA should monitor the labels and content of all the products right from the packaging and distribution to their stocking in the ‘ironically-operated’ organic retail stores.
