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The Rise of the Conscious Consumer
An international study conducted by Unilever reveals that more than a third of consumers (33%) are now choosing to buy from companies they believe are producing in accordance with ecological principles, and the majority of consumers nowadays expect that the products they buy fulfill high social, ecological and ethical standards.
When buying, consumers are wondering: ‘Is this product good for my family and me? Is this produced in a healthy way? Although the label claims it is organic, is it really? Is it possible for a false statement to be on a label? Is the price I’m paying justified?
Buying a poor-quality product or an incorrectly classified product can have a significant impact on the reputation of the manufacturer, grower, cooperative, and the store where the product was bought. Once a company gets a bad reputation, business is more difficult to conduct, and it becomes challenging to retain customers and stakeholders.
GlobalG.A.P Standards as a Means of Regulation in Global Agricultural Trade
Although there are already many certificates that seem to guarantee the origin of the product, there is the only one that has definitive rules for growers to follow. The GLOBALG.A.P. is a food safety standard developed to regulate food production processes from the micro to macro level of production. GLOBALG.A.P. certificate can provide the customer with complete transparency of the food production process, from the farm to its final product.
Also, unlike with other certificates, each production unit is evaluated by independent third-party auditors. The idea behind such a standard is to ensure that all agricultural products, marked with this specific certificate, are handled in a way that is safe, healthy, and sustainable for consumers and for the environment as well. The main goal is to strengthen customer confidence in the quality and health of agricultural products of a certain producer.
Only those who have good agricultural practice, integrated pesticide control program, quality management system, and HACCP principles can get the certificate.
Apart from benefits and safety for the buyers, the possession of a certificate like this is a significant advantage for both growers and grower’s organizations (cooperatives). Having in mind the newest trends makes it easy to conclude that it directly affects the financial profit for both growers and grower’s organizations. GLOBALG.A.P. is thus responding to direct requests by consumers and offers them trust and security. Also, it’s reasonable to assume that GLOBALG.A.P. standards will play an increasingly significant role in international retail corporations in the coming years.
Slow Administration Still a Challange
Although the process of obtaining such a certificate is not imagined as excessively complex, the process often gets complicated by administrative procedures. The process of applying can be pretty challenging and time-consuming if done manually. The biggest challenge when applying is definitely the number of documents needed, specific checklists for each country, level of accuracy, self-assessment process, history of data provided, and checking out the points which don’t comply with the criteria.
Although it may appear confusing, the process can be significantly simplified. By choosing to use a farm management software in running a business, you are choosing strategic, tactical, and operational help in running a business, as well as getting the needed information for applying for submitting to GLOBALG.A.P. If regularly filled out, a good farm management software can provide you with everything mandatory for submitting your application within two mouse clicks.
AGRIVI is a perfect match for manufacturers, growers, cooperatives, and stores that see the importance and want to apply for the GLOBALG.A.P. certificate since AGRIVI supports it fully. Interested in simplifying your Global GAP administration? Reach out to us for a DEMO today.
