Green Options

I’ve seen so many advertisements for HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) both in print and on the television. According to the ads, HFCS is no worse for you than sugar. Heh.

Being the Mother of a child with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) I see first hand how “good” for you High Fructose Corn Syrup is. My child reacts within minutes of ingesting any product containing HFCS. We can’t cook with corn syrup at home because it is made with HFCS. (Click here for my homemade corn syrup free marshmallow recipe.)

The FDA says its safe, but then they also allow our foods to be painted with chemically derived colors and flavorings and are telling us that BPA is safe. We know better. No chemical is safe enough to be in my families food.

Environmental Leader published an article today, Fast-Moving Eco-Friendly Consumer Goods Appeal to Many, noting the rapid increase in consumers purchasing organic and personal care products, natural foods and beverages. According to the report, over 1/3 of all consumers purchase goods in these categories. This makes it the fastest growing category of green products.

This makes sense.

In my previous posts here and here, I’ve talked about how important it is to realize that there are different segments in the green market. These consumers are driven to purchase green and eco friendly products for different reasons.

The Naturalites, a good 25% of the population are primarily concerned about personal health and wellness, and use many natural products; would like to do more to protect the environment. They are, of course the prime target for organic and natural food, beverages and personal care items. Throw in some of the LOHAS consumers (16% of the population) and some Conventionals (23%) and it adds up to one third of the market.

Sounds good for ecopreneurs in these categories…

But, while reading this cheery news, I happened to notice that this data comes from the 2007 Natural Marketing Institute’s, 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Database. Will this trend hold up in 2008?

As consumers cut back during this recession, I wonder how this trend will play out.

In general, consumers cut back and trade down in a recession, which could be good for some products and bad for others.

The FDA dealt a disappointing blow recently to consumers hunting for natural choices for their families. Despite petitions from The Sugar Association and major manufacturer, Sara Lee, Food Navigator reports that the FDA declined to issue a regulation that would define use of the word “natural” on food and household product packaging in the near future, stating:

…”we’re not sure how high of an issue it is for consumers”. .

Now, how often do consumers and manufacturers agree that less confusing is better? This is one of those cases.

In an interview with (Food Navigator-USA.com), Geraldine June from FDA’s Food Labeling and Standards department said the agency had not put the ‘natural’ issue on its priority list because there is not enough evidence that the current situation means consumers are being misled.

“even if people interpret it in different ways it doesn’t mean there is confusion out there. If there was, then we would definitely raise it as a priority”.