Label and
seal
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Simply explained
Many labels and seals in the coffee sector
The coffee market features a multitude of seals and labels that highlight different aspects of coffee – from fair trade and organic farming to quality and origin information. It's not always easy for consumers to keep track and correctly assess the meaning of each label. On this page, we present the most important labels and explain what they represent and in what contexts they are used.
Sustainability & Fair Trade
Fairtrade
Rainforest Alliance (including former UTZ)
4C – Common Code for the Coffee Community
WFTO – World Fair Trade Organization
GEPA / WeltPartner (in the fair trade sector)
Organic farming / organic standards
EU organic logo
Naturland
Demeter (biodynamic)
Bio Suisse (relevant for the Swiss market)
Quality & Specialty Context
(no classic product seals, but frequently communicated)
SCA / Specialty Coffee (score reference)
Cup of Excellence (award, not standard)
Origin and origin protection labels
Common with high-quality single origins
Café de Colombia
Jamaica Blue Mountain
Kona Coffee (Hawaii)
Costa Rica Tarrazú
Ethiopian Coffee Mark (less common, but exists)
The most well-known, official seals
The EU organic symbol identifies food and other products from organic production throughout the European Union, ensuring their clear recognition across all countries. This makes it easier for consumers to identify genuine organic goods, and allows organic farms to offer their products uniformly in all EU countries.
The logo may only be used for products that have been certified as organically produced by an officially recognized inspection body. This requires that all requirements of the EU organic regulations be met along the entire value chain – from production and processing to transport and storage. The logo is only permitted if at least 95% of the ingredients are organically produced and the remaining components are also subject to strict regulations. Furthermore, it is not permitted to use the same raw material in both organic and non-organic quality within the same product.
In addition to the EU organic logo, the code number of the responsible control body and the place of origin of the agricultural ingredients must be indicated. It must also be stated whether these ingredients come from "EU agriculture" or "non-EU agriculture".
The 4C label, also known as the "Common Code for the Coffee Community," is an internationally established baseline certification for more sustainable coffee production. It sets fundamental requirements for social responsibility, environmental protection, and economic sustainability, and is primarily aimed at large coffee traders and roasters who want to ensure their coffee comes from responsible cultivation. Unlike stricter certifications such as Fairtrade, organic, or Rainforest Alliance, 4C is considered an entry-level or minimum standard ("Baseline Standard") and not a premium label. The goal of the 4C system is to improve the living conditions of coffee farmers, minimize negative environmental impacts, and promote transparent supply chains. The requirements include good agricultural practices such as the controlled use of fertilizers and pesticides, the prohibition of particularly hazardous chemicals, the protection of soil, water sources, and biodiversity, and sustainable plantation management. On a social level, the label prescribes fundamental labor standards, including the prohibition of child and forced labor, compliance with occupational safety measures, freedom of assembly, and legally compliant wages. In the area of environmental and climate protection, 4C considers aspects such as reducing deforestation, protecting sensitive ecosystems, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, and water-saving farming methods. A key feature of the 4C standard is traceability: the supply chain must be documented, and independent audits regularly verify whether companies comply with the specified criteria.
Overall, the 4C label provides a reliable foundation for responsible coffee production, but it is less comprehensive than more demanding sustainability certifications. It raises minimum standards, ensures transparency, and is particularly helpful in regions with increased risks of social or environmental problems. However, it does not offer price premiums for farmers and does not stipulate organic production requirements. Therefore, 4C is primarily a basic sustainability standard that encourages improvements without reaching the depth of stricter certifications.
Detailed and formal description of the official Fairtrade label
The official Fairtrade seal is an internationally established and independently verified certification mark that allows consumers to recognize that a product has been produced according to clearly defined social, environmental, and economic standards. It is awarded by Fairtrade International and is found particularly on agricultural products such as coffee, cocoa, tea, bananas, cotton, and various other raw materials produced in countries of the Global South.
The central aim of the Fairtrade system is to promote fair trading conditions and empower producers, who often operate in economically disadvantaged regions. The Fairtrade label mandates the payment of a Fairtrade minimum price, designed to cover the costs of more sustainable production and provide growers with a more stable economic foundation in times of fluctuating global market prices. In addition, a Fairtrade premium is paid—an extra sum of money whose use is decided democratically by the producer organizations. These funds typically go toward community projects, such as infrastructure development, educational programs, healthcare, or environmental measures.
Another essential component of Fairtrade standards is binding social criteria. These include adherence to fundamental labor rights, the prohibition of all forms of forced and exploitative child labor, the protection of trade union rights, and the promotion of safe and healthy working conditions. Furthermore, the Fairtrade system obligates certified cooperatives to democratic decision-making structures, thereby strengthening transparency, co-determination, and equality within producer organizations.
The Fairtrade label also sets clear requirements in the ecological sphere. While it is not an organic label, it explicitly requires the environmentally responsible use of natural resources. This includes measures such as the reduced use of hazardous pesticides, the protection of soil and water, the promotion of biodiversity-friendly farming methods, and long-term strategies for adapting to climate change.
Compliance with these standards is ensured through regular, independent audits, guaranteeing a high degree of credibility and transparency. For consumers, the Fairtrade label thus provides reliable guidance for making purchasing decisions that contribute to more sustainable supply chains, better working conditions, and a fairer global economy.
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The Rainforest Alliance seal identifies products and raw materials that originate from operations certified according to the standards of the international non-governmental organization Rainforest Alliance. The organization is committed to protecting ecosystems, promoting sustainable agriculture, and improving the social and economic conditions of agricultural and forestry businesses.
Certification is based on a comprehensive set of criteria that considers ecological, social, and economic aspects. These include, among other things, the preservation of biodiversity and natural habitats, the responsible use of resources such as water and soil, climate protection measures, and adherence to fundamental labor and human rights. The standards are regularly updated to reflect new scientific findings and societal demands.
Compliance with the requirements is monitored by independent testing bodies. Depending on the product and supply chain, different traceability models may be used, such as physical segregation or mass balancing systems. The seal makes no statement about the quality or taste of a product, but rather indicates that defined sustainability standards were applied during production.
In 2018, the Rainforest Alliance and the UTZ certification program merged to combine their respective approaches. As a result of this merger, a joint certification system was developed, which has been operating under the name Rainforest Alliance since 2020. The current seal with the green frog has thus replaced the previous separate labels and serves as a global symbol of more sustainable production methods.