Comparison of Organic Food Packaging in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain and Italy

The objective of this study was to provide a snapshot of organic food assortments in supermarkets in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy, and compare the packages used for five organic food products (eggs, meat, fish, mushrooms, berries). In addition, a comparison was made between packaging for regular and organic whole eggs. The highest number of organic products was found in the Danish supermarket. The main difference between the countries was in the use of national organic logos. Of the different food products, egg cartons had the most variation in materials and visual design. In all countries the product name was generally very plain, such as “organic beef”. The most common packaging material was plastic followed by molded pulp and glass. Green coloration was used especially on organic egg and mushroom packaging, whereas berry jams and meats were packed in conventional transparent packages. Molded pulp cartons, green color, and illustrations rather than photos were used more often for organic eggs than regular eggs. For faster recognition of organic products on the supermarket shelf, a standard dark green color is recommended to be used consistently to signify organic.