Mixed Plate Special - Big corporations buy out trusted labels

Big corporations buy out trusted labels

The selling out of "organic"

Finally, an explanation behind why more and more "organic" labels have appeared in major supermarkets, drug stores, and big-box stores. For a long time I have been wondering about the increased shelf space for natural food products at the local Tamura's...

A recent Alternet story by Andrea Whitfill revealed that popular "natural" brands may not be so "natural" any more. That's because many have been bought out by giant corporations with a poor track record when it comes to environmental consciousness, consumer health and social responsibility. The original creators of these formerly mindful products were paid handsomely for developing honorable brands that were tried and trusted. The new owners, however, don't mind cutting corners to cut costs or increase profits.

To wit, here's an abbreviated list of who owns what according to Whitfill's research:

Burt's Bees -- Clorox
Tom's Toothpaste -- Colgate-Palmolive
Brown Cow and Stoneyfield Farm yogurt - Danone
Odwalla -- Coca-Cola
Naked Juice -- Pepsi
Burt's Bees -- Clorox
Kashi cereals -- Kellogg's
R.W. Knudsen and Santa Cruz Organic -- Smuckers

She also reports that half the bottled water market is owned by three companies--Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Nestle--and more than a quarter of bottle water comes from municipal water sources (in other words, tap).

Consumers are advised to carefully check ingredients on packaged food labels before concluding how "organic" or "all-natural" a product stating those claims actually is. There is a difference between raw organic food and processed food that contains organic ingredients, but that distinction has been skewed, if not lost, when it comes to marketing.

Mercola.com includes an informative ownership chart and lists some useful links to sustainable agriculture options and organizations that support locally harvested organic foods.