Using Icons & Symbols

There’s a recent trend in labeling to use icons and symbols to promote the beneficial qualities of a product or company. While this can be good graphic design, it’s important that whatever you are saying is, above all, TRUE.

Some icons and symbols are covered by regulations. Some can only be used with permission and/or qualifications, and some of those fall into the category of endorsements. And some are just marketing. Let’s take a deeper dive.

Regulated Icons & Symbols

The use of some symbols and icons is covered in regulations. In order to use them, you must comply with the regulations covering them. Here are a few examples.

USDA organic seal

USDA Organic Seal

The USDA Organic seal denotes that the product complies with the National Organic Program and that the product is certified under that program.

It is illegal to use the seal if the product has not been appropriately certified.

Recycled Symbol

Recycled Symbol

The recycle symbol is an “environmental claim” and is covered by the regulations from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It may be used, but probably not stand-alone, without some sort of qualification about what is actually recyclable. (The bottle, jar, cap, box, label?) Also, recyclable claims can only be made if the majority of people CAN recycle the item. In the area where I live, there is no way to recycle glass!

Period after opening symbol

Period After Opening

The period after opening symbol is covered by regulations in the EU. It is very specific about what the symbol must look like and how it must be used.

It is not required in the US, and there are no regulations covering it.

Third-Party Certifications — Endorsements

Some symbols and icons are actually trademarked and may only be used with permission. This is often the case when the symbol represents a type of endorsement or proof that the product meets a certain standard.

Leaping Bunny Logo

Leaping Bunny

The Leaping Bunny symbol indicates that the product is cruelty-free. It’s proof that the cruelty-free claim has been reviewed by an independent third party.

In addition, in order to use the symbol (which is trademarked) you must pay a fee to Leaping Bunny.

Green Dot symbol

Green Dot Symbol

The Green Dot symbol is a trademarked symbol indicating that the company is part of a European network of industry-funded systems for recycling the packaging materials of consumer goods. It is not a recycling symbol.

COSMOS Standard

COSMOS (COSMetic Organic and Natural Standards) is a standard for certification for natural and organic products in Europe. Cosmebio and Ecocert are standards within COSMOS.

The logo is trademarked and may only be used on products which have been reviewed and approved by an authorized COSMOS certification body.

False or Deceptive

A symbol or icon that LOOKS like it is an actual third-party certification (but isn’t actually) can become false or deceptive advertising if not appropriately qualified or explained.

All Natural Organic Certified Symbol

“Certified”

A symbol that claims the product is “certified” but doesn’t have any actual underlying certification is likely false and deceptive.

Non-Toxic icon

Environmental Claims

A highly generalized environmental claim (such as non-toxic, eco materials or eco friendly) is likely to be false or deceptive because it is probably not actually true. For example, a claim “eco materials” — without any qualification — could mean that the ingredients, the packaging, the manufacturing, the company, AND the company’s building were made with eco materials. It’s too broad to be absolutely true.

Bunny

Look-Alikes

A look-alike logo or symbol, such as a bunny to promote cruelty-free could be considered false or deceptive if there is any indication that there is some third-party certification when there isn’t.

Marketing – Proof Required

Marketing consists of all the things you say to get someone to purchase your product. When you make a measurable, objective claim about your product, you should have proof to back it up. A symbol can easily be such a claim.

Gluten Free

Gluten Free

Obviously, a product that claims to be gluten free should be, in fact, free of gluten.

Note, though, that the FTC regulations say that if you make a “free-of” claim, it shouldn’t be claiming that the product is free of something that isn’t ever in the product in the first place. For example, soap doesn’t normally contain gluten, so making a gluten-free claim for it is somewhat iffy.

No Palm Oil

No Palm Oil

Claiming that a product is palm-oil free is perfectly acceptable, providing it is true.

Vegan icon

Vegan

Again, claiming a product is vegan is perfectly acceptable, providing it is true (and you can prove it).

When making vegan claims for soap and cosmetic it’s important to remember that many ingredient may have both vegetable AND animal sources (glycerin, stearic acid, lactic acid, and sodium lactate for example) or could be produced from GMO crops (corn, soybean or canola, for example),.

The Take-Away

Be aware of the graphics that go on your product label and what they mean. Just because someone else uses the symbol, or you can easily download it from Google, Canva, or an image site such as ShutterStock or Dreamstime, doesn’t mean that you should use it.

Do your homework,and only use symbols that are truthful and that you are authorized to use.

Comments

3 responses to “Using Icons & Symbols”

  1. We have been an industry that has been very vigilant at self regulating for so many years.

    It’s articles like this which are great to point to point new people entering into the market when we see errors made. I’ve seen some of the look a likes on packaging. Was it done intentionally? Who knows? Either way, there are a multitude of kind ways to open up a conversation without being confrontational to the creator.

    Thank you for adding this to your many posts that are chock full of a wealth of knowledge. There are so many that refer back to your site regularly and new people all the time who discover you.

    1. Marie Gale

      Thank you, Denise!

  2. Informative and easy to understand as always Marie, thank you!

    I would say that the gluten-free logo IS legit for soap though. Although the oils in soap are gluten-free, additives might not be. For someone with celiac, this is a concern. For instance oats added to soap. I think if making it clear that gluten-free oats were used, etc then the gluten-free label is a great addition.

    But yes, a great reminder to make sure we’re accurately labeling and not misleading.

    Thanks for a great read this morning!

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