Recent investigation by a consumer advocacy group and a newspaper have found that organic labelling of food products in Australia is potentially misleading. Because there are multiple bodies – none governmental - that can provide certification for organic products, confusion abounds about what “organic” means in the Australian context. Forgive me for dabbling in areas that others, like Expat Chef, so expertly skewer; I can only look upon this as a concerned layperson.  I know that for myself, if I see a can of something like tomatoes or beans or what-have-you labelled “organic”, I automatically assume that somebody behind that label has assessed the contents and manufacture to certify that result. Sometimes yes, and sometimes no, this article shows:

[S]ome own-brand organic products bought by The Sun-Herald in Coles and Woolworths [NB: Coles and Woolworth’s are the two biggest chain supermarkets in Australia. Rachel]last week had none of the official logos. Woolworths' organic tinned tomatoes had no official certification, and the small print on Coles organic carrots stated "product in conversion to national standard" with no other explanation.

Five different products bought in Coles used five different organic logos.

The Sun-Herald also looked at the cost of organic goods compared with conventional products.

Organic carrots from Coles cost $3.48 for one kilogram compared with $1.68 for the conventionally produced equivalent.

In Woolworths, organic carrots were $3.98 compared with 94 cents for the mainstream equivalent.

Organic tinned tomatoes in Woolworths cost $1.15, compared with 58 cents for a "normal" tin.

And 500 grams of regular minced beef from Coles cost $5.55 compared with $7.33 for its organic rival.