Aunty says: When I go shopping I always follow a few basic rules.

IF:

• there is NO LIST of ingredients on a product
• the ingredients list is Impossible to SEE because of the colour used e.g. white on yellow,
• the words are so small it’s impossible to READ the ingredients list without a large magnifying glass
• I need a degree in chemistry in order to UNDERSTAND the ingredients list

I choose NOT to buy that product (or any other products from that brand range) because I believe I have the right to know what’s in EVERY product I wish to purchase without the need of a magnifying glass or a chemistry degree.

I take a second look at any product claiming to be  ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ because these may be false claims.

I check the ingredients list to see how many items are marked as organic or natural?  I can safely assume that all ingredients are man-made synthetic chemical compounds unless:

• clearly identified as organic and supported by the organic certification logo
• highlighted as natural e.g. grape seed oil.

But how natural (direct from nature) is a natural ingredient? The majority of natural ingredients have undergone some form of manufacturing process.

I check labels for a product’s country of origin to avoid purchasing any item from a country known for its lack of health and safety product standards.

If the country of origin is not named, or is hidden by phrases like: ‘Ingredients from (home) and other countries’ or ‘Ingredients from different sources’ – this is another product I choose not to buy.