New organic label launched
In the future, consumers should be able to see the organic portion of out-of-home catering (AHV) at a glance. According to the federal government's plan, canteens, canteens and other facilities should voluntarily indicate their commitment to sustainable catering with a three-tier label - depending on the organic content in gold, silver and bronze. To this end, the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, submitted the draft of the Ordinance on Organic Away-from-Home Meals (Bio-AHVV) to the Federal Cabinet last week. This creates a clear legal framework so that companies can label organic in their kitchens with little effort. 17 million people eat in communal catering facilities every day.
Federal Minister Cem Özdemir says: "Communal catering has huge potential to provide young and old with healthy, nutritious and sustainable food. Canteens, canteens and the like can use the organic label to indicate their commitment to sustainable catering voluntarily, easily and verifiably and thus advertise for themselves. At the same time, we are strengthening organic farming by stimulating demand - this is an important step on the way to 30 percent organic by 2030. And finally, we are enabling more transparency for consumers because we are closing the previous gap in community catering."
The Bio-AHVV provides for a new labeling in bronze, silver and gold: If the organic share of the monetary value of the total goods purchased for the ingredients and products purchased from a business unit is organic from 20 to 49 percent, a company can use the Bio-AHV logo in bronze advertise, with a monetary organic share of 50 to 89 percent with the silver and with a monetary organic share of 90 to 100 percent with the gold. In addition, the new regulation enables companies to label organic ingredients on menus and advertise them in a simple and business-friendly way.
Organic farming makes a particular contribution to protecting the environment and resources. The federal government has therefore set itself the goal of expanding organic farming to 2030 percent of agricultural land by 30. In order for more farmers to be able to switch to organic, supply and demand must develop in harmony over the long term.
