Organic seal in Scandinavia: Denmark
If you shop in Denmark, you will find many different labels on the products. There are organic seals for food and for non-food items.
Organic seal for food
The red Danish “Ø” with the addition “Statkontrolleret ø kologisk” is the organic seal for food in Denmark. The Danish Ministry of Agriculture controls the label and has used it to indicate organic quality since 1989.
In addition, products in Danish shops also carry the European “Blatt”, the organic seal for food, which has been mandatory for organically produced goods within the EU since July 1, 2010.
Organic seal in Denmark for non-food products
Non-food products or services can bear two different symbols: the “swan” or the EU flower. These are the two official, independent organic seals in Denmark for this group, so they are independent of manufacturers or brands.
The swan is the organic seal of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Since 1989, it has been awarded to products that meet certain criteria in terms of manufacture, sale, use and disposal that serve to protect health and the environment. For example, there are regulations on energy consumption, the content of heavy metals or the impact on the ozone layer.
The EU flower, introduced in 1992, also exists in the EU country Denmark. It also makes a statement that the product meets certain environmental compatibility requirements throughout its life cycle.
The criteria of the two organic seals are similar, so many manufacturers use both on their products. In Denmark, the Environment Secretariat monitors the awarding of the Swan and EU Flower organic seals.
In addition to these organic seals, there are also marks in Denmark that individual manufacturers have developed, but which are not controlled by an independent body and their informative value is therefore limited.