NaTrue QR codes mark the end of greenwashing

Picture this: you’re walking through your local shopping centre one sunny afternoon in search of some natural hair care products when you spot a brand of shampoo you’ve never seen before. You like the look of it, the packaging says all the right things, and it’s certified by NaTrue but you’re still unsure whether or not to buy it. Hmm, what to do?

Well your dilemma is now over, as natural and organic beauty has officially entered the modern world of technology thanks to new and exciting advancements made by independent certifier, NaTrue.

In conjunction with a shiny new revamp of the website – www.NaTrue.org – the forward-thinking certification body has initiated the use of ‘quick response’ — two dimensional bar codes that allow information to be downloaded at high speed. By taking a photo of the code that is printed on each product using a mobile phone, your phone will automatically lead you to a product specific weblink, which will tell you everything you need to know about that product.

Now, although this technology has actually been in circulation since 1994, it’s still not a widely used or recognised method in the UK, so you could be left wondering why this development is so potentially revolutionary. Well, QR codes (as pictured on the left) can be used to denote any online information, but in the case of NaTrue it will give consumers immediate access to in-depth details on any beauty product certified by NaTrue, including ingredients, company information, their ethos and values, what environmental standards they adhere to, and whether or not they follow fair trade practices, etc.

In short, consumers will be able to take a detour around the fancy marketing jargon, the expensive brand image, and finally get answers to questions that usually can’t be answered when stood in a shopping aisle. This will empower consumers, and enable them to make unbiased purchasing decisions based on their own ethics. The days of greenwashing are over.

“We are turning the point of sale into a ‘point of experience’”, says Moritz Aebersold, president of NaTrue and director of biodynamic brand, Weleda. “This is an exciting development for producers, retailers and consumers alike. People want authentic products and the QR tags are a great way to find out. In depth information is just a click away.”

Almost 400 products have been certified under NaTrue since its launch in 2008, a complete list of which can be found here.