On the way to PlanetProof Week launched playfully
Travelers in The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht looked up in surprise last weekend as they stood waiting for the bus. In the bus shelter, they actually saw a set table full of more sustainable groceries. It turned out to be a playful action by Stichting Milieukeur (SMK) as part of the On the way to PlanetProof Week that starts today. This week calls attention to food products with the independent label On the way to PlanetProof. About 70% of the total Dutch agricultural area for vegetables and herbs is now certified with this label. For fruit, this share is around 50%. These products are produced more sustainably, with extra attention to nature, climate and animals. The Week introduces consumers to the hallmark and urges them not to wait any longer to choose sustainability. The On the way to PlanetProof Week runs through May 18.
Main photo: Travelers surprised with table full of more sustainable groceries in Utrecht © Sandra Uittenbogaart
The label On the way to PlanetProof can be found on eggs, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, ornamentals, dairy and processed foods, among others. It has been recognized by Milieu Centraal as one of twelve Top Food Labels. That means the label is reliable and transparent while setting strict requirements. From water use and soil quality to animal welfare and biodiversity: producers must demonstrably perform better than the legal standard on all fronts. During the On the way to PlanetProof Week, the hallmark will receive extra visibility, including in supermarkets and, as was the case last weekend, in The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht.
Gijs Dröge, director of Stichting Milieukeur explains, "We transform an everyday place, such as a bus stop, into a table full of more sustainable products - a surprising and accessible way to make travelers think about their food choices. Many people want to live more sustainably, but don't always know how. With On the way to PlanetProof we make visible and understandable that every day - even 'on the way' - you can choose food produced with extra attention to nature, climate and animals. The range of products with our label in the supermarket is growing and our aim is that that table of more sustainable groceries in people's homes will only increase."
Travelers surprised with table full of more sustainable groceries in bus shelters in The Hague (left) and Rotterdam (right) © Sandra Uittenbogaart
Large portion of Dutch cultivation certified
Behind the hallmark are strict requirements drawn up in cooperation with experts in the fields of nature, animal welfare, science and agriculture. Independent checks ensure that only farmers and growers who meet all the criteria receive the certificate. The growth figures show that it is paying off: now more than 70% of the Dutch agricultural area, also known as acreage, for vegetables and herbs is On the way to PlanetProof-certified. Also in the fruit growing sector a sustainability improvement is visible with now about 50% certified acreage. These figures show that the label is not only on the rise, but also that the intermediate goals set for 2030 are within reach.
What are you waiting for?
The 2030 interim goals align with important international agreements, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Farm to Fork strategy and the Paris Climate Agreement. Hallmark holders are taking significant steps to achieve these goals. SMK recently released its first impact reports, which provide insight into where On the way to PlanetProof now stands and what is needed to realize its ambitions. "At the same time, it is important that consumers also no longer wait to make the more sustainable choice. Therefore this playful call to choose On the way to PlanetProof. So that together we are on the way to an agriculture that is in balance with the carrying capacity of our planet," said Gijs Dröge of SMK.
