For the second time, the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue fish label has been ranked as one of the top sustainable food labels in the Netherlands.
The benchmarking study was carried out by Milieu Centraal, a Dutch environmental information and education foundation, on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
Out of almost 100 ecolabels included in the study, only ten were awarded the title 'top keurmerk' (top ecolabel), with the MSC getting full marks for credibility and transparency.
Hans Nieuwenhuis, MSC's programme director for the Benelux region feels that the large number of ecolabels makes responsible food choices difficult. "We applaud the initiative taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to add some clarity and we are proud to be named one of the ten top labels,” he said.
Although the total number of labels assessed has increased, the number awarded 'top keurmerk' has decreased, reflecting the higher bar set this year. Milieu Centraal added several new elements to this year’s assessment including whether the labelling organisation implements continuous improvement of its requirements and also whether the organisation reports on its impacts.
The ten top labels for sustainable food this year are: ASC, Beter Leven 2 en 3sterren, Demeter, EKO, European quality mark for organic, Fairtrade, MSC, On the way to PlanetProof, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ.
