WASHINGTON—The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), along with certified organic personal care brands Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Intelligent Nutrients and Organic Essence, filed a complaint with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), requesting an investigation into possible deceptive labeling practices of leading personal care brands in violation of USDA NOP regulations.
The complaint argues products, such as liquid soaps, body washes, facial cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizing lotions, lip balms, make-up and other cosmetic products, produced by 13 corporations have been advertised, labeled and marketed as organic, but are not organic as understood by reasonable consumers.
According to a press release from the OCA, NOP has not enforced personal care organic regulations as strictly as USDA’s standards for labeling organic food.
On Nov. 5, 2009, the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) formally recommended that the NOP regulate personal care to ensure any use of the word “organic" on a personal care product is backed up by third-party certification to USDA organic standards.
Click here to view the complaint.