On November 6th 1989 the Nordic Council of Ministers decided to introduce the Nordic Ecolabel for the Nordic countries. 20 years later it has become one of the most well-known Ecolabels in the world.
During the 1980s the interest for environmental issues was higher than ever before. At the same time there was a huge demand for an impartial Ecolabel with high credibility. The Nordic Council of Ministers decided therefore to implement the Nordic Ecolabel and it has during the past 20 years helped Nordic consumers choose environmentally-sound products, from the very first Nordic Ecolabelled copying paper and detergent to today’s Nordic Ecolabelled hotels and restaurants. Today there are close to 6 000 products branded with the Nordic Ecolabel.
”I believe that the success of the Nordic Ecolabel is based upon the fact that we have succeeded in communicating the simplicity of choosing Nordic Ecolabelled products. The consumer does not need to grasp the complexity of the environmental issues but is assured that a product branded with the Nordic Ecolabel is a good environmental choice. This also appeals to companies that use the Nordic Ecolabel and who understand that they often have a competitive advantage”, says Ragnar Unge. CEO, Ecolabelling Sweden.
The 20th anniversary will be celebrated throughout 2010.