Cheaper, but fewer compared with other EU countries are the products carrying the EU ecological label (EU Ecolabel) on the shelves of Cypriot as well as Greek supermarkets, according to research published by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).
Both in Greece and in Cyprus, only 2% of the products that were analysed were certified, but it was observed that their prices were 10% lower.
The picture in the other countries where the research was conducted is very different. Indicatively, in Denmark 80% of the products analysed were certified with an ecological label and their price was 16% cheaper, in Norway it was 61% and the price cheaper by 20%.
The EU Ecolabel certifies products which have a proven reduced footprint on the planet, in order to avoid “greenwashing”.
At the same time, in the Netherlands 19% of the products analysed were certified with an ecological label and their price 14% cheaper, in Portugal 17% respectively for both figures.
As highlighted in the results of the research, in most countries certified ecological products are, on average, cheaper than the corresponding non-certified products, a finding that overturns the argument that sustainability comes with a high cost.
Nevertheless, commenting on the low availability in Greece and Cyprus, the research states: “Whether it is easy or even possible to shop in a sustainable way depends on where you live. And this should not be the case.”
Source: Philenews
