"New year, new me." Many people said this on December 31, as the Gregorian year 2024 ended, but wasn't this the same thing said at the end of 2023? It seems like a repetitive cycle: people set goals in hopes of transforming their lives, yet the reality often turns out to be different.
According to Batts (2023), the reality of "New year, new me" is more complex than one might think. This "new me" is often measured through New Year's resolutions, which cover various aspects: personal, psychological, financial, religious, and physical, among others. However, statistics from 2022 show that only 9% of Americans succeeded in achieving their goals. Additionally, 23% gave up during the first week of January, and 43% abandoned their goals before the month ended.
This raises an intriguing question: Are New Year's resolutions a lie perpetuated by those who make them? Before jumping to conclusions, it may be helpful to consider other concepts that also promise great benefits but don't consistently deliver, such as "sustainability," "organic," "natural," "traceability," or certifications like "fair trade" or "Rainforest Alliance." These labels in the marketplace may be like New Year's resolutions: declared enthusiastically but often unmet. So, what's failing? Is it the person who proposes them, or what is being proposed?
As discussed in the article from the practical section of The Flavor Trail, which featured guest Guy Chambers, having a webpage titled "Our Purpose" is something anyone can do. To paraphrase the phrase Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker: with great power comes great responsibility. Companies can proclaim any message, but what's essential is to critically assess whether their claims align with their actions.
As the saying goes: "Actions speak louder than words." Simply putting "Organic Product" on a label, and sometimes simplifying it to "100% Natural," is not enough. It's necessary to have evidence to back up these claims. Why? Although it seems "simple" in theory, it's highly complex in practice.
In the marketplace, losing is not an option. This is nothing new; historical examples like the British East India Company show how businesses have done everything possible to stay competitive. Today, we are supposed to be "more civilized and empathetic," and regulations are our guide.
In a world saturated with processed, canned, or frozen products, many seek more authentic flavors, away from chemicals and preservatives. This is why they spend a bit more on products labeled as "natural" or "100% natural," associating these terms with superior quality.
However, the reality may be different. The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), in its journal, highlighted the work of Kuchler et al. (2023). This study argues that labels can assign positive attributes, like "100% natural," that influence consumer perception and raise the product's price compared to its competitors. However, the term "natural" can be misleading.
Kuchler et al. (2023) explain that, while this labeling is regulated, "natural" refers to the product's processing. It could be synonymous with "handmade" or "artisanal," but it doesn't account for using chemicals, pesticides, hormones, or other agents.
But let's be honest: if we had the option to buy a roasted chicken in the supermarket, one with no label and the other with the label "handmade," but the latter cost twice as much, would we buy it? Probably not. Kuchler et al. (2023) state that various studies have concluded that consumers associate the term "natural" with "better health," when in reality, this is not necessarily true.
Here, we enter another category. The terms "natural" and "organic" are often used as synonyms, but they are not. First, we must identify whether a product is "natural" or "organic." Then, verify that the labeling is endorsed by a regulatory institution and understand what type of "organic" it represents.
For example, tea production has different categories, as Sabita Banerji explains: "Listen carefully and understand what others tell you." Some producers often use organic practices without an official label.
In Japan, there are three main categories of tea production:
It's important to note that this refers exclusively to tea production in Japan. India, like other countries, has its own standards. However, a good starting point is the European Union's regulation of organic products.
The European Commission (2025) states that for a product to be considered organic, criteria must be met at every stage of production, whether the product is of animal or plant origin. For example, the entire process is considered in plant production, from seed to final processing.
The European Commission's regulation focuses on environmental protection and ecosystem biodiversity (within the EU). It is noted for banning genetically modified organisms (GMOs), radiation, artificial fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. In the case of animal products, it also restricts the use of hormones and strictly limits the use of antibiotics.
Although this set of regulations may seem like a headache, its goal is not to complicate our lives but to improve them. Ultimately, we reap what we sow, and everything we do comes back to us because the cycle of life is inevitably circular.
In the following article, we will explore why it's not about accumulating positive product labels but about our actions to change market trends. We should also avoid falling into the trap of dividing things into "good" and "bad," as this is merely a form of segregation in disguise. No one is born knowing everything, but we all have the opportunity to learn and be better.
It's not so much about past mistakes as about what we do today to improve, because our present actions will define our future.
Satoricha ~
References
Batts, R. (2023, February 2). Why Most New Year's Resolutions Fail | Lead Read Today | Lead Read Today. Fisher College of Business. Retrieved January 5, 2025, from https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/why-most-new-years-resolutions-fail
European Comission. (2025, 1 5). Organic production and products. European Comission. https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming/organic-production-and-products_en
Kuchler, F., Sweitzer, M., & Restrepo, B. J. (2023, August 30). Prevalence of the “Natural” Label Varies by Food Category. USDA ERS. Retrieved January 5, 2025, from https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/august/prevalence-of-the-natural-label-varies-by-food-category/