Consuming organic products can raise a few questions. At Thés & Traditions, all our teas are AB certified. Faced with the various organic tea labels, you may nonetheless wonder whether the AB certificate has any real significance. To shed light on the matter, it is worth knowing that the organic farming certificate (AB) is a quality label that complies with European as well as French regulations. Furthermore, obtaining this certification is subject to several criteria.
AB certification: an official mark of quality for organic products
Organic farming is a method of production that respects the environment. Organic labels are the signs that guarantee this method of production to consumers. AB certification, which is one of these labels, complies with a set of specifications defined by European and French regulations and requires strict official oversight. It applies to any actor in the organic food sector, such as:
- farmers;
- processors;
- distributors.
The AB certificate is visible on our products through the French AB logo and the European organic logo. It is proof that our teas comply with the organic farming regulations. The AB certificate is therefore a guarantee of quality for the products sold at Thés & Traditions.
How is the AB certificate awarded?
The AB certificate can only be obtained after passing through several stages of verification. The AB brand is a brand belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture. Its use is therefore subject to usage rules, as is the European organic logo.
The different steps to obtain AB certification are:
- the declaration of the commercial activity of organic products with the Agence Bio;
- the successful completion of the audit carried out by a certifying body accredited by INAO (Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité);
- the application to use the AB brand for certification purposes (and its acceptance) in order to be able to affix it to products.
Controls by certifying bodies accredited by INAO (such as Ecocert, Eurofins, Alpes Contrôles or AFNOR, to name but a few) are, moreover, renewed at least once a year.
The AB-certified tea from Thés & Traditions meets all of these quality criteria. It therefore offers you all the advantages associated with organic farming. Our teas are indeed cultivated without pesticides or GMOs and are harvested under sustainable and fair conditions.
Want to go further?
Discover the French Agency for the Development and Promotion of Organic Farming.