Draft guidance for the EU organic logo

11 March 2010

Please note: This guidance is based on draft EU guidelines received from the EU commission on 2 March, and have not yet been formally adopted by the EU commission. Although we do not expect there to be any further changes, we cannot be held responsible for any amends in the final EU published document.

The EU has announced it has chosen the new EU organic logo. There were 3 designs selected, from nearly 3,500 entries, and the public were given the opportunity to vote on which they preferred, (130,000 voted on-line). The result is a leaf design.

What does it look like and how must it appear on pack?

It is published for use in green as shown here. The reference colour is Green Pantone n° [376] and Green [50% Cyan + 100 % Yellow], when a four-colour process is used:

Where colour is not possible, black and white may be used. It may also be possible to use other colours dependant on your packaging/label colour as described below.

The minimum size must be 9mm high and 13.5mm wide. They do permit a smaller size of 6mm high for very small packages. The proportion ratio of height/width must always be 1:1.5.

It may appear anywhere on the packaging/label provided it is easily visible, clearly legible and indelible.
 

Using the logo in other colours

If the background colour of the packaging or label is dark, the logo may be used in negative, using the background colour of the packaging or label. For example, if the background colour of the packaging is dark blue, the background colour of the logo may be white, with dark blue, or black, stars so that the logo stands out better.

If you use the logo on a coloured background, which makes it difficult to see, you can add an outer line around the logo to improve contrast with the background colour.

If you are only able to print your packaging using one colour, (that is not the EU logo reference colour), then you may print the EU logo in that same colour. For example, if you print in red on a white label, then the logo may be in red.

You may use other organic logos, or text referring to organic, close to the EU logo, provided this does not go over, hide or change the EU logo.

If you are using a national or private logo that is green, and it is not the EU logo reference colour, then you may print the EU logo in the same green colour, so that the EU and other logos match.

Which products have to use the new logo?
Packaging/labelling of pre-packed retail product, produced in the EU. It may not be used on product with less then 95% organic agricultural ingredients. It will be optional for imported products or unpackaged product.

 

Is there anything else that must appear with the logo?

Certification body code: The certification body code must also appear within the same visual field as the EU logo.

For products labelled in the UK and certified by us our code must be used. The EU has announced that the current certifier codes will be amended and shortened, so from 1st July 2010 our identifying code will be ‘GB-ORG-005’.

Origin of the raw materials: When the EU logo is used your labelling must also say where the ingredients have been farmed.

Either of the following as applicable:

• ‘EU agriculture’
• ‘Non-EU agriculture’
• ‘EU/non-EU agriculture’

You may state a particular country if all ingredients were farmed there. This must appear immediately below the certification body code number. The wording must not be more prominent than the sales description of the product.

Note, you can discount up to 2%, by weight, of the total quantity of the agricultural raw materials.

Soil Association symbol: Soil Association standards require retail product to carry our symbol.
Please refer to standards 2.2.5 to 2.2.15 for details of how to use it. In some situations we may permit you not to use it, (standard 2.2.9) where we agree there is a good reason for not doing so. You must get our permission to do this.

For example:
• Very small packs and/or labels that won’t fit all the statutory and other necessary information
• Products which are exclusively not for sale in the UK
• Existing automatic or other labelling machines that cannot print a symbol and there are no other ways to apply the symbol.
 

When do these changes have to be made?

Product packaged, labelled and placed on the market before 1st July 2010, without the above new requirements, can continue to be sold until stocks are used up.

Packaging/labelling that complies with either Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 or Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and was designed before 1st July 2010, can continue to be used until 1st July 2012. This gives you time to amend existing packaging.

We understand that once the regulation has been issued the artwork for the EU logo will be fully available from the EU website. We will keep you posted.