ECO-LABELLING FOR SOUTH AFRICA?
Internationally, and in Europe particularly, consumer choice is
becoming increasingly influenced by the impact on the environment
of producing a particular product. Many countries have responded to
this phenomenon by introducing eco-labelling, a vehicle that
informs the consumer of the impact on the environment of producing
the product.
Nedlac's Fund for Research into Industrial Development, Growth
and Equity (Fridge) has agreed to undertake a study into the
suitability of a national eco-label for South Africa.
The research will look into, amongst other things, the current
global usage of eco-labels, including key successes and failures.
It will also provide an analysis of how effective eco-labelling is
as a way of improving environmental performance by industry, as
well as increasing the competitiveness and "export-ability" of
South African products.
The European Union has led the way in terms of an Eco-labelling
system. It established a scheme in 1992 to differentiate
environmentally friendly products. The scheme allows European
consumers (estimated at 370 million people) to easily identify
officially approved "green" products across Europe, promoting
environmentally friendly consumption. It also allows manufacturers
to show and communicate to their customers that their products
respect the environment.
The Nedlac Fridge study will inc a detailed report assessing the
European experience with instituting an eco-label, drawing on
research on the EU system overall, and the harmonisation systems in
Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. One of the reasons for
choosing the EU is that it represents a significant portion of
South Africa's export market.
Although the details of the research brief have still to be
finalised by the Fridge sub-committee, the research will assess
South Africa's suitability for such a scheme in terms of issues
such as institutional infrastructure, business and government
capacity, consumer representation, consumer awareness of
environmental issues and influence on purchasing decisions. It will
also look at the best sectors to target in terms of the label.
The study is expected to be completed by the end of the
year.