Guides
How to read ethical labels
Claims with legal backing, and claims a company simply makes. That distinction does most of the work.
Three tiers
The words on a package divide into three tiers by how much sits behind them. Sorting a claim into a tier tells you how much checking it deserves.
1. Backed by law
- Organic JAS — the “organic” claim on food
- Allergen declaration — the eight mandatory items
- Country-of-origin labelling for raw materials
- Full ingredient disclosure on cosmetics
These are regulated, with penalties for breach. The presence of the label is itself meaningful.
2. Third-party certified
- Fairtrade (FLO) and WFTO
- FSC for forestry, RSPO for palm oil
- Leaping Bunny for animal testing
- Vegan certification schemes, COSMOS for organic cosmetics
- Japan's Eco Mark
Not law, but there is a standard and an audit. Identifying which body certified it tells you what has been guaranteed.
3. Company claims
- Plant-based and vegan, where uncertified
- Additive-free, no chemical seasoning
- Superfood
- Ethical, sustainable, eco-friendly
- Natural, and “organic” on cosmetics
These are claims the company makes about itself. Many are honest; verification is on you. How specifically the claim is substantiated is the tell.
A working order of checks
- Read the ingredient list first — it carries the most information
- If there is a certification mark, identify the body
- Ask whether the claim is specific or abstract (“out-of-spec carrots from X prefecture” beats “out-of-spec vegetables”)
- Contact the maker if in doubt — how specific their answer is, is itself information
Avoid perfectionism
Running every purchase through this is not realistic. It is more useful to start with what you buy often, use in quantity, or keep for years. Spending the effort where frequency and volume are highest returns the most.
Last updated: 2026-10-06