Responsible and Healthy Consumerism? Are you a responsible shopper?

Can you recognise these logos or symbols? What do they represent and why are they important? Think about the importance of their meanings. What might be the consequences of mis-labelling?

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The Blue Flag Blue Flag is a prestigious, international award scheme which acts as a guarantee to tourists that a beach or marina they are visiting is one of the best in the world. It is awarded to coastal destinations which have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. Is there one near you?

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Vehicle Labelling The UK Fuel Economy Label for all new cars aims to encourage reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions in the transport sector. It is similar to the European Energy label, also shown here, in order to enhance understanding about the links between energy use and climate change. The label shows how much carbon dioxide a car emits. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. The label also gives estimated fuel costs for 12,000 miles and the vehicle excise duty for 12 months so you can see how much these will cost before you buy. Lower carbon dioxide emissions mean lower road tax and lower running costs. It has been introduced voluntarily by the car industry under the auspices of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership which was set up with Government funding. Members include car companies and environmental groups.

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Energy Saving Recommended The Energy Saving Recommended logo endorses products that are amongst the most energy efficient available. The scheme is managed by the Energy Saving Trust. The wide range of products covered includes appliances like washing machines and refrigeration, light fittings, gas and oil boilers, insulation, hot water cylinders and glazing.

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The Ecolabel. For a better, safer world. Better, because the Ecolabel is only awarded to goods and services which meet strict criteria restricting the impacts of consumer products on the environment. Safer, because the criteria are devised to minimise harm from chemicals to the environment – your environment. Products with the Ecolabel are independently certified to prove that they are greener - and that they perform as well as other leading brands. The Ecolabel is backed by all EU Governments. So it really is the sign of a special product.

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The European Energy Star Programme is a voluntary energy labelling programme for office equipment. The Energy Star logo helps consumers identify office equipment products that save them money and help protect the environment by saving energy. Office information and communication technology equipment (computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, scanners and multifunction devices) is responsible for a growing share of electricity consumption in the EU. Manufacturers, assemblers, exporters, importers and retailers are invited to register with the European Commission allowing them to place the Energy Star label on products that meet or exceed energy-efficiency guidelines. The participation in the programme is voluntary. rgy_star_programme_en.htm

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Fairtrade Labelling was created in the Netherlands in the late 1980s. The Max Havelaar Foundation launched the first Fairtrade consumer guarantee label in 1988 on coffee sourced from Mexico.Max Havelaar Foundation The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. For a product to display the FAIRTRADE Mark it must meet international Fairtrade standards. These standards are set by the international certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO).Fairtrade standardsFairtrade Labelling Organisations International Producer organisations that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified by FLO. They receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production and an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects. tm tm

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This is a recycling symbol Greendot - This shows that a fee has been paid for the recovery of the packaging in some European countries. Valpak Ltd administer the use of this symbol in the UK for which a fee must be paid. Valpak Ltd more.co.uk/nav/page632.aspx

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Aluminum: Alupro The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) is responsible for encouraging and developing recycling collection initiatives, consumer education, and representing the aluminium packaging industry to government. The education area of this website gives some useful tips on how to recycle aluminium cans in schools and details some case studies. Alupro more.co.uk/nav/page625.aspxhttp:// more.co.uk/nav/page625.aspx

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The Soil Association organic symbol is the UK's largest and most recognisable trademark for organic produce. Wherever you see it you can be sure that the food you have purchased has been produced and processed to strict animal welfare and environmental standards. The Soil Association has probably the highest and most comprehensive standards for organic production and processing in the world. What do the standards cover? Practically anything that's grown or farmed to be eaten or drunk. Our standards also cover the processing of food, from milling flour to baking bread and making pizzas. They specify in detail what can and can't be done, and what can and can't be used. For example, a chicken farmer will know how many birds can be kept together, what they can be fed, how they can be treated if ill and so on. But our standards apply to more than food. We also have standards for: Shops and other retailers Restaurants, bars and cafés Health and beauty products Clothing and textiles Gardening products like composts Timber and wood products Ethical Trade

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The Recycling Logo The logo is found on a broad range of products made from a wide variety of materials, and if a percentage is included within the loop this means it contains recycled material. These days, it's easier than ever to recycle and the logo is a constant reminder that we can all do more every day to protect the environment. The mobius loop is used to indicate that an object is capable of being recycled. Please note that it does not necessarily mean that an object has been recycled, and can sometimes be misleading

Labelling is the simplest and most direct way of communicating information about a product to its purchasers. There are many ways of providing information on labels. Manufacturers and others can make their own claims about products, or may participate in one of the many voluntary labelling schemes designed to highlight some special feature of a product. In some cases, companies are legally obliged to state certain information on products in prescribed formats. The importance of labelling…

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