Sceptical shoppers concerned about "ethical" and "free-range" labels

While many of us are willingly paying extra for free-range and other ethically sourced produce, we are also concerned about being taken for a ride by deceptive practices. In a survey of 614 Fairfax readers in Melbourne and Sydney, 29 per cent said they ''always'' bought ethical foodstuffs such as free-range eggs and fair-trade chocolate, with an additional 60 per cent saying they ''sometimes'' did, usually free-range eggs. However, many of those surveyed also expressed scepticism about ethical claims, typically remarking: ''Not sure it isn't a hoax'', ''A lot of so-called organically grown food is a big con'', ''Can you trust the labelling?'' and ''I do not always trust the packaging''. There was also lingering concern about a recent investigation by Fairfax Media that revealed many hens described as ''free-range'' by Coles supermarkets spent much of their time in crowded sheds. One respondent said: ''I find recent news that perhaps not all 'free-range' are actually that is very disturbing. I would like better regulations in place.'' The new Coles standard for its suppliers allows for one square metre per hen, or 10,000 hens to a hectare. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said this did not warrant the label ''free-range''.

Angus Holland