ACO isn't the only company that can certify organic, but is the most popular.

ACO certified means the product has a quality guarantee from an Australian independent body that the product is verified organic. This means the organic standard that is advertised on the product is indeed correct and you can trust the product is what is says it is.

Every step of the process (from paddock to plate) must be audited according to the Organic Standard to be able to market an organic food or organic drink using the sought-after ACO logo.

There are no legal standards required in Australia to label something 'organic'. This means that whist a majority of companies do the right thing and back up the claims on their labels, there is no guarantee that they are organic or meet what they claim.

Products that claim to be organic when they are not (also known as ‘non-certified organics’) can make consumers more likely to mistrust organic products. Buying ACO certified products alleviates this concern.

If a food or drink is certified organic you know it is guaranteed to have organic integrity.

This certification process can cost thousands of dollars a year to maintain and pay for annual audits. For many brands, this cost is far too high to maintain which is often the reason why you see products claiming organic without it.

A business can still claim their product is organic as long as they can substantiate their claims through reasonable proof. Those companies that are caught making false claims about the organic properties of their products face hefty fines from The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The 2021 Australian Organic Market Report found 31% of Australian consumers believed they had been previously misled by organic claims on product packaging.

You can learn more about ACO certification requirements here