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With complete confidence, ecological or organic can be called only those products that are certified by one of the generally accepted certification organizations in the world.

Russian certification you can trust - the Leaf of Life badge of the St. Petersburg Eco Union. Of the foreign generally accepted in the Russian market, the most widespread are EU Euroleafs, American USDA Organic, Italian ICEA, private foreign certificates of Demetra and Bioland systems.

If we talk about the differences between our and non-our certificates, the Russian national standard for organic products has been adapted to international generally accepted standards and has minor differences. True, it came into force quite recently, only this year.

Certificate - quality assurance

The certificate mark on a product means that it is produced without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, anabolic drugs, steroids, GMOs. To obtain such a certificate, the product, at every stage of its production - from the seed to the counter, is very strictly checked by the inspectors of the certification companies. Everything is very strict and everything can be checked: each batch of products has its own number, by which you can check the authenticity of the products by going to the website of the certifying company. It is necessary to confirm the certificate every year and only for a certain volume of products. Selling under the guise of organic products from a neighboring uncertified field will not work, the inspector will quickly discover this. They check everything - land, seeds, fertilizers, plant protection products, feed, conditions for keeping animals, method of slaughter, processing, transportation, storage.

"Eco" and "organic" - do not count

Products that do not have a certificate, but simply “eco”, “bio” or “organic” labels on the packaging are just a manufacturer's statement, which may or may not be true. Unfortunately, in Russia, a federal law on organic products has not yet been adopted, which would prohibit simply putting such labels on packaging, which is what many unscrupulous manufacturers use. Despite the fact that in Russia there are catastrophically few certified organic producers, no more than 70 in the whole country. While, for example, there are more than 40 thousand in Turkey, 500 thousand in India.

If there is no certificate

What should you be guided by if the majority of domestic products do not have any certificates, but there is something you need?

Foods that need to be treated with extra care - pork, chicken, eggs, milk and dairy products, sweets, fruits and vegetables out of season, and industrially grown fish. It is worth giving up semi-finished products and fast food. It is better to prefer natural products with a short shelf life to any processed products. In appearance, color, smell, it is extremely difficult to determine the environmental friendliness of products, since there are such "craftsmen" to give ordinary products natural properties that even experienced experts will not find the difference.

Most clearly differ in taste, smell and appearance natural apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, meat, dill, honey, cottage cheese, cheese. Most products are difficult to distinguish right away.

It is definitely not worth choosing fruits and vegetables that are glossy-beautiful, of the same size and shape, very large, as a rule, these are GMO products grown with big amount agrochemicals. Cow and goat milk should not smell strong or unpleasant. If so, then the animals were kept in mud and poorly looked after. Ask the meat and milk sellers questions - what do they feed the animals. If the answer is: purchased "compound feed", then it is better not to take such milk and meat, since most of the blown compound feed already contains GMOs, antibiotics and growth hormones.

Closer to nature

The quality is closer to ecological for those who independently procure feed and do without imported premixes. Fully natural and healthy milk is provided by free-range animals, which are fed on natural natural herbal feed, as is customary in organic farming. It is better to buy meat and milk from small farms with up to 8 animals. The less crowded the animals are kept, the less they get sick, the less the risk of antibiotics in the products. Well, the natural smell fresh vegetables and non-industrial fruit speaks for itself, it is impossible to counterfeit it.

According to WHO, a person eats from 3 to 9 kg of preservatives, stabilizers and other food additives... Organic products do not have all of this.

Natural products are more satisfying, they are better absorbed by the body, contain more vitamins, minerals, and micronuclei. With a properly balanced diet of natural products, it is easier to maintain an optimal weight for the body, while processed foods and industrial food, in addition to the fact that it has lost some nutrients from processing, frost, it still contains cheap, hard-to-digest components.

From your garden

Today, the safest way of high-quality ecological food is either certified organic (Eco, bio) products, or products grown in our own beds. Products from your garden / garden or from the forest can be considered environmentally friendly if you did not use GMOs, agrochemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones, food additives in the process of growing or production. And also if your site is far from industrial production and highways, and the land and water for irrigation do not contain heavy metals and harmful chemical compounds.

Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine

Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after M. Tugan-Baranovsky

on the topic: "Environmentally friendly products"

Donetsk 2009

In our modern time, when the air, water and earth are polluted by the products of human activity and the ecological situation, despite all the efforts of mankind, continues to deteriorate, people are increasingly beginning to think about their health.

There is a Chinese proverb - "tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are." This adage best describes the relationship between the food you eat and the way you look and feel.

On the food market today there are a lot of proposals on the topic “ healthy eating". Starting from all kinds of pills, powders (dietary supplements) and ending with products with an optimally selected diet. But, to the question of which of them are really useful and most effective, no one can answer, for one simple reason: there are so many people on the planet earth and the options for the impact of these products can be on them.

So is there one single solution to the problem of healthy eating?

Yes, it exists and, like everything ingenious, it is simple. This requires growing food in an environmentally friendly environment and packaging them in an environmentally friendly manner.

Why is this particular option the only one?

The answer to this question is simple. Products are created by nature without human intervention in the process; they contain all the necessary substances for life in the most complete and balanced way human body... In this case, the phrase "made by nature" can be used. And this phrase will most fully and succinctly contain the answer to your question.

What is an environmentally friendly environment?

Where and how are standards and criteria for a clean environment set?

The answer to this question can be given to us by the European certification system.

In 1980, the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) established the Basic Standards for Organic Production (IBS).

Here is some of them:

· The cultivation of land for at least three years should be carried out without the use of chemical fertilizers;

· Seeds for organic farming must be adapted to local conditions, resistant to pests and weeds, and, most importantly, not be genetically modified.

· Soil fertility must be maintained through a variety of crop rotations and biodegradable fertilizers of exclusively microbiological, plant or animal origin.

· The use of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, nitrogen-containing and other chemical fertilizers is prohibited.

For pest control, physical barriers, noise, ultrasound, light, traps, special temperature regime and so on;

· When raising livestock to obtain Organic meat, it is prohibited to use antibiotics and growth hormones;

· Farmers must register any treatment for animals. Treatment records are reviewed annually by certifying authorities;

· The use of radiation and genetic engineering in the production of Organic products is strictly prohibited;

· If a product is designated as Organic, its manufacturer must use 100% organic ingredients;

“So it is in Europe, but our nature is much cleaner and apples from the“ favorite garden ”are much tastier and healthier,” you might say.

Yes, everything is correct, and tastier and healthier, but only who checked it, where is the confidence in this? Where is the guarantee and criteria, which is more useful?

Unfortunately, no one can give you any guarantees. There are no criteria yet.

There are many voluntary certification schemes that will make your conventional products “green” for a “modest fee”. Moreover, these voluntary organizations have their own criteria for evaluating products. Whether they have the correct criteria or not, at the moment it is impossible to figure out, since there is no law that sets the standards for Organic products.

As a result, we have a lot of Russian food products that use the terms of European standards to increase the sales of their products. Who among us has not seen juices, kefir, mayonnaise on store shelves and this list can be continued for a long time, with the designations "BIO", "BIO", "Ecologically safe product"," Verified by environmental impact assessment ", etc. As a matter of fact, it turns out that our consumer is being misled, simply saying “our brother is being made a fool, gentlemen of marketers”.

At the same time, in many European countries, at the state level, organic product standards have been introduced. A system for monitoring the implementation and compliance with these standards has been created.

How can our customers figure out which products on store shelves are really Organic?

The easiest and fastest way is to find one of the badges of European certification bodies on the product label. Here are examples of some of them:

Organic Agriculture - EC Management System	European Union	In March 2000, the European Commission for Organic Products introduced this emblem. It is used exclusively voluntarily by those manufacturers whose products comply with the European Union system of standards adopted in 1991.
Bio-Siegel (Ecological seal)	Germany	In 2001, the German Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture introduced a national label - Bio-Siegel (Ecological Seal), which designates products from companies that adhere to the requirements of an EU regulation.
Agriculture Biologique (Ecological Products)	France	France was one of the first European countries to introduce a national mark for organic food, which replaced private labeling systems and is owned by the French Ministry of Agriculture. The application of this logo on goods is allowed after signing an agreement with the owner of the mark and fulfilling all the requirements established by EU legislation. The mark can also be applied to organic products from other countries, provided that the requirements of French law for farms using organic methods are met. However, the products vegetable origin must be produced in the European Union, except for exotic ones.
Valvottua tuotantoa / Kontrollerad ekoproduktion (Certified organic products)	Finland	This national mark is issued by the Finnish Crop Inspection Center
	Sweden	In Sweden, the only accredited inspection organization is KRAV. Its standard is stricter than the requirements stipulated by European legislation. Issued by the Swedish Agricultural Control Society. The mark is also found on products produced outside Sweden (coffee, tea, fruits).
	Netherlands	This mark is issued by the Dutch State Inspection Authority called Skal.
United States Department of Agriculture	USA	This mark has been issued with permission from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 2002 under the National Organic Program (NOP)
	Finland	This sign with ladybug issued by the private certification body of Finland - Luomuliito. Most often, this sign is found on vegetables.
	Europe, America, Africa, New Zealand	The Demeter ecological certification standard, which appeared in 1924 on the basis of the work of Rudolf Steiner ("Spiritual and Scientific Foundations of the Successful Development of Agriculture"), became the world's first organic agriculture standard. The presence on the product packaging of the Demeter biodynamic production mark not only characterizes the special conditions of strict control at all stages of product creation according to Organic standards, but also reflects a special concept of approach to careful and careful farming, taking into account many natural features (moon phases, seasons, etc. .), incl. care for the cleanliness and preservation of soil and the environment. Demeter International currently has 18 member organizations in Europe, America, Africa and New Zealand.

And what about environmentally friendly packaging?

This question is no less serious, but easier to solve.

Why serious?

Because, no matter how ecologically clean products are produced, if the packaging is toxic, it will spoil the quality of the products that we have been striving for.

Why easy to solve?

What is environmentally friendly packaging is the kind of packaging that comes into least contact with the products in it, without changing the quality properties of the products. Today, the packaging market can offer many options for solutions for environmentally friendly product packaging. At the same time, the technologies for the manufacture and production of packaging are constantly being improved.

What are organic foods? How to choose an environmentally friendly product? What's on the labels? We will answer these and other questions about natural products in our article!

It is important to know how to choose quality, natural and organic food. This article explains how to more efficiently hike in grocery storeshow to read labels correctly and choose organic productsIt is not difficult, but some knowledge will be extremely useful.

First, let's see a few general recommendations and tips on how to read food labels:

• Both the ingredients and their nutritional value are important - one without the other does not reflect the whole picture;
• The ingredients are listed in descending order, which means that the first ingredient has the most this product, and the latter contains the smallest amount;
• Make sure that sugar and salt are at the end of the ingredient list;
• If you are looking for fatty foods, remember that the labels indicate the fat content in grams. The percentage shown next to fat is the percentage of daily consumption, not the percentage of calories derived from the fat in this product. Look at the top of the label for “calories from fat,” and divide by the total calories to figure out the percentage. That is, calories from fat account for about half of the total calories, then about 50% of the calories in the product are fat.
• If you need carbohydrates, choose natural foods that contain fewer processed carbohydrates.
• Bread labels should include words like “whole” and “grind” first on the list of ingredients. You can often see "not bleached, enriched wheat flour", however, this does not suit you - such processed bread, but whole grains added for color. Whole grains should be the first ingredient
• Quality carbohydrates should contain fiber and sugar. Try to avoid carbohydrates without fiber. At the same time, carbohydrates, which contain nothing but fiber, also do not provide the necessary nutrients. Try to make sure that 1/6 of the total carbohydrate in the product is fiber. That is, 20 grams of carbohydrates should contain about 3-4 grams of fiber.
• Eating highly processed foods or not is up to you. But it's better to go for whole, natural foods. If there are too many Latin words on the label - for example, ingredients that you can't read or don't know them - it's best to put it aside.
• Canned food, frozen meals, and other convenience foods are usually high in sodium. Instead, buy whole, single ingredients and then cook your own meals. You can freeze them and store them in containers.

Secrets of natural products

Mixed ingredients

Often times, products are grouped by ingredient lists with the goal of presenting items in a specific order. Sometimes this happens legally, and sometimes it can be cheating. Most people understand that ingredients should be listed in descending order - in other words, the ingredient that is most in a given product should come first. Thus, if you are looking for protein bar, then happiness for you will be to purchase one on the label which will be written:

delicious double protein blend (hydrolyzed proteins from cow hooves, whey), maltodextrin

The label also indicates the absence of sugar.

Of course, there is a lot more involved. Special protein blend - what is it really? Let's just say, there is 10 g of whey, 11 g of protein from cow's hoof, 12 g of maltodextrin. Ingredients should be in descending order, ie "maltodextrin, hydrolyzed cow hooves, whey".

Anyone familiar with sugars knows that although maltodextrin does not affect the amount of sugar, it is very high and therefore not desirable to be on the list of ingredients (unless it is a post workout shake). So looking at a label like this, the average consumer will say to himself, "high sugar content, tons of low-quality protein, and very little whey."

So what do you do? It's simple. The company has combined cow's hoof protein and whey. This is the “Double Delicious Protein Blend.” Since the sum of the ingredients is 10 + 11 \u003d 21, this new “blend” may appear before maltodextrin in the list, with all ingredients listed in descending order.

Now it seems to unsuspecting consumers that there is actually more whey in the product than maltodextrin (sugar). But we know that there is less of it! Whey comes out on top because of what is in the mixture. Therefore, by reading labels on natural products, you will already know how such a grouping works.

Special offers

Sometimes organic product labels indicate special offers... You must understand exactly what this means.

When the label reads “Not a significant source of calories from fat,” then the product should contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. meat delicacies... They can be sliced \u200b\u200bso thin that one slice contains less than 2 grams of fat, but still provide a significant percentage of fatty calories.

"Not a significant source of sugar" means that the amount of sugar on the label is less than one gram. Don't take this statement at face value. Some ingredients, such as maltodextrin, are not technically considered sugar, but have the same effect. This is why it is so important to consider both the ingredient list and the nutritional value.

The table provides definitions for other specials:

Warning signs

As you go through the list of ingredients, pay attention to the danger signs. This is not a complete list, but it will help you buy only high-quality, natural and organic food. Always look, these ingredients are at the beginning (main), in the middle and at the end of the list.

• Sugar is allowed at the end. The presence of sugar in the middle of the list is possible when enough fiber in the product. Of course, these rules can change when it comes to a post-workout cocktail.
• Salt is acceptable at the end of the list. Salt is important, but only in moderation.
• Any ingredient that you cannot pronounce or understand. Again, such substances do not have to be bad, but if you cannot answer how they will benefit you, it is better not to risk it.
• Excess vitamins and minerals. It is far more beneficial to get them from whole foods and quality multivitamins than as a spray or food supplement.
• If the product is enriched with something. This must be the biggest joke in the food Industry... “Fortified” means that the food has been stripped of vital nutrients and instead added those that were originally less nutrients.
• "Vitaminized" natural product. Control your vitamin and mineral intake with specialty supplements and whole foods, rather than adding them to conventional productswhere you do not know not their quality, not their quantity.
• Any food containing more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per serving and less than 2 grams
• in which half or more of the total calories come from fats (unless, of course, you are not looking at the ethics of a bottle of olive oil)
• Partially hydrogenated fat anywhere in the ingredient list (also known as trans fatty acids). If hydrogenated fats are at the bottom of the list, don't worry. In addition, if the product contains no trans fatty acids, then it can be safely consumed, even if there are hydrogenated fats in the ingredients list.

How to recognize the presence of sugar in natural foods

It cannot be said unequivocally that sugar in organic products is harmful, however, it is important to be able to determine its amount. Below are some of the common names for sugar. Be careful with foods where they are at the top of the ingredient list, as they can contain too much sugar and trigger unwanted spikes in blood sugar:

• Sugarcane juice
• Concentrated custard
• Falernum (sweet liquor)
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Jaggery
• Sugarcane juice
• Lactose
• Levuleza
• Malt
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Marshmallow
• Misri (sugar in crystals)
• Molasses (black molasses)
• Orshad (drink)
• Panocha (candies made from yellow sugar, milk and butter)
• Sorghum (cereal)
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Syrup
• Turbinado (partially refined raw sugar)

Milk and its derivatives in natural products

If you avoid dairy products, the following items in the ingredient list are dairy products or derivatives:

cream, cheese, butter, yogurt, koumiss, kefir, ghee, paneer, lactose, casein, whey, Rennet, Rennin

There are no fragrances in environmentally friendly products!

There is a lot of controversy over natural and artificial flavors. Many manufacturers seem to take pride in organic ingredients listing "natural flavors" while consumers are willing to give up anything that resembles "artificial foods". It's not really what you think! So what is the difference between natural and artificial flavors?

Natural and artificial flavors are defined by the Code of Federal Regulations. This means that specific laws govern which terms can be used in ingredient lists.

natural flavor contains essential oil or resin extract, protein hydrolyzate, distillate or any product of roasting, heat treatment or enzymatic decomposition, which contains flavoring components obtained from spices, fruits or fruit juices, vegetables or vegetable juices, edible yeast, herbs, bark, kidneys, roots , leaves or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products derived therefrom, whose function is more to impart flavor rather than nutritional value to food

Anything that does not fit this definition is considered artificial. Quite voluminous, isn't it? Is it possible to assume the existence of flavorings in natural products?

Chemicals can be either natural or artificially produced. This is not the same difference as between wool and nylon, which are used to make clothes, however, these materials are different.

At the molecular level, natural and artificial flavors appear to be the same. By the way, it is believed that artificial flavors are safer because they are produced in pure form. For natural flavors, original product (for example, an apple) must be broken down into elements and filtered with chemicals to obtain flavoring agents. Therefore, these flavors may have more impurities.

In this case, it is fair to note that there are chemical additives in natural and artificial flavors that are used to improve the taste. If the label states that there is a natural flavor in the product, this does not mean that the manufacturer has added crushed apples - it means that a certain set of chemicals has been isolated or extracted from them and artificially added to the product.

If you are not particularly interested in flavorings, then pay attention to less sowhether they are artificial or natural, but more look at the order of the list of ingredients.

If you want natural foods that you can make yourself, don't buy those that have other flavorings other than natural spices.

And finally, take advantage of the advice called "peripheral shopping".

If you notice, most often in stores, processed foods in packages are located in the center of the square. Fresh natural products, eggs, dairy and meat products are more often located around the perimeter of the store, so stick to the walls, and then you have an increased chance of purchasing environmentally friendly and healthy foods nutrition.

Educate yourself about food choices. This will help you acquire the perfect one. As with everything else, strive for moderation. For example, if your weakness is fried corn chipsthen you can eat them in moderation without going beyond the daily calorie intake. If the thrust is too strong, then look for compromises, choose the baked option.

To date, quite a few a large number of food products with the word "bio", "eco" or "organic" on the packaging. However, these products almost never meet the eco concept. At the same time, the cost of products with a corresponding inscription on the packaging is 20-200% higher than analogues (without an inscription).

Consumers have become hostages of this situation due to the lack of a relevant law on organic agriculture and organic food in the Russian Federation. Also, we do not have obligatory certification of eco-products. And since there is no law, then manufacturers are free to use these terms at their discretion, which, of course, cannot but bother buyers - after all, they are actually being deceived.

So, the concepts "eco", "bio" and "organic" are synonyms that denote environmentally friendly products produced in accordance with the principles of organic agriculture.

According to European and American organic farming standards, “organic” (“bio” or “eco”) indicates that at least 95% of the content by weight (minus the weight of salt and water) is organic. Made with organic means that at least 70% of the content is organic. The inscription is located on the front or top side of the package, and it can be followed by up to three names of product components. Less than 70% of content is organic means less than 70% of the content is organic. In this case, the package may contain a list of organic components, but the word “organic” cannot be used on the front of the package.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

According to the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) * standards, organic farming is based on four basic principlesto be used as a whole.

The principle of health

Organic agriculture must maintain and improve the health of soil, plants, animals, humans and the planet as one and indivisible whole. According to this principle, it is necessary to avoid the use of fertilizers, pesticides, veterinary drugs for animals and food additives, which may have an adverse effect on health.

Ecology principle

Organic agriculture must be based on the principles of natural ecological systems and cycles, working, coexisting with and supporting them. The principles of organic farming, livestock grazing and the use of natural systems in the wild for the purpose of harvesting must be consistent with natural cycles and balances. Organic agriculture must achieve ecological balance by designing land-use systems, creating habitats and maintaining genetic and agricultural diversity.

The principle of justice

This principle states that animals should be provided with conditions and opportunities for life that are consistent with their physiology, natural behavior and health. Natural resources that are used in production and consumption must be viewed from the standpoint of social and environmental justice, taking into account the interests of future generations. Equity requires production, distribution and trade systems to be open, equitable and take into account real environmental and social costs.

The principle of care

Organic farming must be proactively and responsibly managed to protect the health and well-being of present and future generations and the environment.

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the marks "organic", "bio" or "eco" are intended to notify the buyer that the product is grown naturally without the use of chemicals, in an ecologically safe area, where at a distance of 500 kilometers around there is not a single chemical or other production that is harmful from the point of view of environmental protection.

THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIC FARMING ORGANIC FARMING

As an independent direction, organic farming began to actively develop, starting in the 1940s in Europe and America, in response to the dependence on synthetic fertilizers and insecticides. During the industrial revolution of the 19th century, with the development of agrochemistry, many effective methods of soil fertilization and pest control were proposed. At first, these were superphosphates, then ammonia-based fertilizers. They were cheap, efficient and easy to transport.
During the 20th century, new farming methods were actively used, indeed leading to higher yields. However, the ecological consequences of the application of these methods became more and more obvious: soil erosion, their contamination with heavy metals, salinization of water bodies.

In 1940, British botanist Albert Howard, one of the founders of organic agriculture, proposed a soil fertilization system based on the use of compost from plant residues and manure. The natural, but not least, reason for the emergence of organic farming was the increasingly recognized danger to human health. Today, living conditions in big cities make people think about how to protect themselves from negative impacts urban environment. And a healthy lifestyle more than 50% consists of a healthy diet.

In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was created with the goal of spreading information and introducing organic agriculture to all countries of the world. Already in the 1990s, green movements and green philosophy gained a global scale, environmental protection and concern for the health of their citizens became priority areas state policy of many countries **.

HISTORY OF ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS IN RUSSIA

Ecological agriculture in Russia originated in 1989, when the All-Union program "Alternative Agriculture" was launched. In two years, the program brought international certification to a number of farms, but ended in complete collapse, as the market was not ready for such products.

In 1994, the export of environmentally friendly certified buckwheat to Europe began, and since 1995 an organic processing plant has been operating in the Kaluga region. Now the farms of Tula, Oryol, Novgorod, Omsk, Pskov, Kursk, Vladimir, Orenburg, Yaroslavl, Moscow regions and Stavropol Territory are engaged in ecological production of agricultural products.

Thus, in Russia, the market for environmentally friendly and safe products is only being formed. The main reasons for the lag behind the United States and European countries can be called the lack of a single concept of environmentally friendly products, the unclear position of the state in this matter, and the low ecological culture of the population. Nevertheless, consumer demands are gradually forming a separate sector of “village” food on the market. Certifying organizations also appeared (for example, NP "Ecological Union", St. Petersburg), which developed their own standards, taking into account both international requirements for organic agriculture, and the peculiarities of Russian reality. All this clearly contributes to the development of the organic food market.

The newly created Moscow-based company Chisty Krai is conducting in-depth marketing research on the demand for environmentally friendly products and is preparing to enter this market. The company establishes links, on the one hand, with independent producers, whose product quality meets the IFOAM requirements, and on the other hand, with distribution channels that allow for the widespread presentation of organic products.

Over the period from 2000 to 2010, the global organic food market grew more than 3.5 times - from $ 17.9 to 60.9 billion (fig. 1 ) .

According to IFOAM, the global market for organic products in 2011 grew by about 12% - from $ 60.9 to 68 billion - while the growth of the consumer market as a whole during this period was only 4.5%. If the market for organic products continues to grow, then by 2020 its volume may reach $ 200-250 billion.

MAJOR TRENDS OF THE ORGANIC PRODUCTS MARKET

Currently, there are several main trends in the development of the Russian organic food market.

The growth of the world market for organic food is more than 2 times faster than the growth of the market for inorganic "bulk" products.

The fastest growing segments of the organic food market are vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy products. At the same time, the segments "meat, poultry", " bakery products"And" drinks "are growing at a faster pace, but lag behind the leaders in terms of volume.

Sales of organic products currently still account for a small share of total food sales by different countries - from 0.75% in the Czech Republic, to 4.2% in the USA.

The growth in organic sales indicates that consumers are ready for the added value. Russians are becoming more and more demanding of food products, it is important for them that the products are natural, they are not used in their production. genetic Engineering, and they were not harmful to health.

The main channels for the sale of organic products are retail chains (supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters) - they account for 41% of sales. The share of specialty stores is 26% and the share of direct sales is 13%.
The growing market demand for organic products is stimulated at the state level - programs for the development of ecological farms are being adopted in the United States and the European Union, and programs for the training of certified eco-farmers are emerging in many universities and colleges.

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE RUSSIAN MARKET OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

Russia lags behind developed countries in the production of eco-products and eco-services by 15-20 years, and the volume of the domestic market for organic products, according to IFOAM, is only $ 60-80 million, or about 0.1% of all food products.

At the same time, Russia is witnessing a steady upward trend in sales of organic food products. So, over 5 years it has grown by more than 1.5 times - from 30 million euros in 2007 to 50 million euros in 2011.

The potential of the Russian market is estimated quite high: according to experts, by the end of 2013 it may grow by 25-30% - up to $ 100 million.

In Russia, there is a problem with the designation of the boundaries of the market for organic agricultural products - there is no single law that would establish which products should be classified as organic and which should not. There is also no single certification system. Solving this issue and introducing mandatory organic certification at the legislative level will contribute to the development of the market.

Experts believe that the faster development of the Russian organic market than in the West will be facilitated by the improvement of the general environmental situation in the country, rich soil resource potential, and the presence of vast areas of land (up to 40%) that have not been cultivated recently due to economic and financial difficulties, cheaper labor.

Organic food belongs to the premium segment of the market, and the mark-up on them, depending on the product category, can vary from 20 to 400%.

The main sales channels for organic food are:
* supermarkets where most of the premium food is sold;
* specialized shops selling natural products;
* direct sales through online retailers to avoid retail mark-ups. Today, sales of organic food through online stores account for 5% of all sales of these products. According to experts' forecasts, sales via the Internet by the end of 2013 will grow by 22%;
* pharmacies selling a limited range of organic products. These are mainly diabetic and low-calorie foods, baby food and cosmetics.

The possibility of exporting Russian organic products to EU countries is also highly appreciated.
Let us consider the factors that in the long term may have a positive impact on the growth and development of the market for organic products in Russia.

Political factors:
* in the near future - the adoption of a law on organic agriculture, within the framework of which it is necessary to define what “organic” (ecologically clean) food is;
* development of a unified certification system for organic products based on European and American standards;
* introduction of mandatory certification of organic products;
* adoption at the state level of a comprehensive program for the development of the agro-industrial complex;
* providing financial assistance to farmers (in particular, preferential taxation) at the state and / or regional level;
* building strong ties with regional and local authorities.

Economic forces:
* stabilization and further growth of the economy after the 2008 crisis;
* stabilization of the ruble exchange rate;
* creation of a system of concessional lending for organic agriculture projects;
* high potential growth of the market for organic products (at least 25-30% per year);
* creation of additional jobs in farms;
* attraction of cheaper labor;
* price reduction for organic products.

Social factors:
* an increase in the birth rate;
* striving for healthy way life;
* growth of incomes of the population;
* consumer orientation towards higher quality and expensive products food;
* concern about the presence of artificial ingredients and preservatives in "traditional" products;
* conviction that organic products are healthier;
* the desire to buy food with a natural taste, without amplifiers;
* increasing the culture of consumption and education of people in the eco-sphere in general;
* development of an educational program for workers in organic agriculture.

Technological factors:
* development of an integrated technology for the production of environmentally friendly products (from soil preparation, planting of plants and seeds, feeding and keeping animals, to a full cycle of production and packaging of products);
* conducting scientific research to ensure that organic farming is healthy, safe and environmentally friendly;
* creation of a logistics system - building a clear and well-functioning system for the supply of products from a farmer to a client.

TARGET GROUPS OF BUYERS AND CONSUMERS OF ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS
As in the West, in Russia farm products belong to the premium segment, their main consumers are representatives of the middle and upper class, that is, about 20% of Russians. The most active consumers are women and men aged 25-45, with higher education, with an average and higher income, residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The main motives for buying and consuming organic food are health benefits, lack of artificial ingredients and preservatives, natural taste and safety.

One of the main barriers to buying this product is its high price. Also, many consumers do not feel the health benefits of environmentally friendly products, do not know anything about them or do not trust the manufacturer. The short shelf life of these products is also a limiting factor.

Factors that stimulate the purchase of organic products include: income growth, taking care of your health and family health, fitness classes, and a decrease in the number of available and free medical services. Of great importance is the dissemination of information about the dangers of biotechnological "unhealthy" ingredients in food, as well as about harmful effects chemicals on traditional agriculture. In addition, the consumption of branded organic products is one of the most fashionable trends in the West.

Thus, we can conclude that a clear policy of the state and the introduction at the legislative level of mandatory certification of eco-products in accordance with world standards, an educational program aimed at increasing the level of knowledge about eco-products, as well as the interest of retail chains in sales and the establishment of an adequate price for these products will contribute to the growth and development of this category in the future.

* International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.

** Data of the international association of producers, suppliers and consumers of eco-products.

Ekaterina Dvornikova

Research by the consulting company "Dvornikova & Partners"

Environmentally friendly products - those products in which the content harmful substances less than in ordinary "standard" products that meet the quality of the necessary regulatory documents, in particular, maximum permissible concentration.

An environmentally friendly product - one that is obtained in a clean area without the additional use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides and other technogenic impacts; or is it a product obtained from natural raw materials by modern technology, ensuring the minimum ingress of other substances into the product, practically free of foreign inclusions.

Environmentally friendly (natural) products are crops without chemical fertilizers, without pesticides, these are animals fed with grain and grass grown without chemical additives.

The use of genetically is prohibited in their formulation modified organisms, synthetic preservatives, artificial flavors and flavor enhancers, and the raw materials for them are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pest and weed control agents, hormones and antibiotics. The internal structure of organic products is not destroyed chemical additives and harsh processing methods, so their taste is natural.

A fresh organic product contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes (enzymes) and other microorganisms than a product grown in a traditional way.

Organic fruits and vegetables are juicy and flavorful. These products have a rich natural taste without chemical additives - a taste that brings you back to childhood.

The ecological product is not coated with chemicals and does not shine with wax. On average, a standard grown apple has 20-30 known poisons on its skin. It is almost impossible to wash off the wax layer, and an unpleasant aftertaste will still remain.

Ecological products are not only beneficial for ourselves. Many chemicals contained in traditional products, are able to accumulate over time in a woman's body and be passed on to her future children. Yes and the immune system the child does not protect him from those poisons that adults can consume every day. Don't be selfish

Ecological or bio-products are products that are produced in accordance with organic farming standards:

pesticide-free,

without synthetic feed additives and growth regulators,