KRAV – a label for organic food

Look for the KRAV label in your grocery store, if you, like us want a society without artificial chemical pesticides. Choose KRAV-labelled products if you want healthier food, clean water, reduced climate impact, more biodiversity and a food production that is more sustainable. Eating better is eating KRAV-labelled food.

KRAV-labelled food is the most sustainable food. It is organically produced without artificial chemical pesticides and without artificial fertilizer. In addition, KRAV-labelled food contributes to:

  • biological diversity
  • reducing climate impact
  • good animal welfare
  • protection of the environment and health
  • better working conditions for employees

The KRAV-label has grown out of an active interest to protect, nature, people, animals and the future. Our goal is to contribute to sustainable and confidence-inspiring production of high quality food in the long-term. Since 1985 KRAV has pursued development of organic and sustainable food production, and thousands of actors in the food production chain have come together to support our goal. We are now Sweden’s most well-known environmental food label – 99% of all consumers are familiar with the KRAV-label.

Conventional and KRAV Production

There is a difference between food produced according to the KRAV Standards and food produced using conventional methods. There is a big difference. Much of the difference has to do with the cultivation of the raw materials, e.g. grain, vegetables, fruits, berries, as well as animal welfare, an ecological approach and respect for the environment. There are differences however at all levels throughout the food production chain. This applies to what can be added when raw materials are processed into products such as jam, cured meats and ready-made meals, as well as to the production process itself, such as choice of energy and packaging. Read more at: Climate Impact.

KRAV and EU Organic

The KRAV Standards comply with the EU regulation for organic production, which is a requirement for all production and sales of organic goods within the EU. The EU regulations present a minimum level for organic production. KRAV goes further with stricter standards for animal welfare, environment and health, climate, and better working conditions. The KRAV Standards also include more areas than EU organic, such as slaughter, restaurants and fisheries. To make the quality of KRAV products more clear, we sometimes use the term “KRAV-organic”.

Locally produced, Swedish or KRAV?

Should you choose locally-grown food or KRAV-labelled food? Which is better? The best is if you buy food that is both KRAV-labelled and locally grown. Then you get food from grazing animals that preserve the open landscapes near where you live, and it can feel good to know where the food comes from. If the food is also KRAV-labelled, it is produced without artificial chemical pesticides and without artificial fertilizers. It can’t get better than that.

If however you don’t know how the locally-grown food is produced, then it is best to choose KRAV-labelled food. You then get the most sustainable and best inspected food, food that is good for the air, soil and water, biodiversity, open landscapes, the climate, the farmer, the animals, and for you.

The same applies to Swedish-grown food. If your choice is between a conventionally grown tomato from Sweden grown in a greenhouse heated with fossil fuels, and a KRAV-labelled tomato from Spain, the Spanish tomato may be a better choice. This is because transportation is only part of the food’s environmental and climate impact. Most important is how the food is produced, and how much and what type of energy is used.

Vision

All food production should be economically, ecologically and socially sustainable, and meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Purpose

KRAV drives the development of organic and sustainable foods as well as makes it easy for consumers and actors throughout the food production chain to act responsibly.