My favorite store and the world’s largest chain of organic and natural foods, Whole Foods, announced a few days ago that all cosmetics claiming to contain organic ingredients sold in its US stores must have a third party verification, just like food, by June 1, 2011. This affects everything in their personal care aisle, from shampoos to lipstick. No more bold print, “Organic” on products that are drenched in synthetics and questionable ingredients. This is wonderful news.

Quite frankly, it ticks me off that companies are jumping on the organic and natural bandwagons in name only. And without a policing force, they’re getting away with it.

According to Kline’s Natural Personal Care 2009 Report, conducted by Kline & Co, a marketing company that examines the natural cosmetics industry in the US, Europe, Brazil and Asia, nearly 75% of “natural” personal care products are a sham. The majority of these brands contained mostly synthetics with very low amounts of anything natural. The idea is to increase profits while tricking the consumer into thinking they’re buying a quality product.

Kudos to Whole Foods for taking a stand to earn their customers’ trust. When I buy any product making natural or organic claims, I read every single ingredient on the label. But most people don’t. They take the packaging at face value. Whole Foods wants that to be a real option – trusting the label. Imagine that.

The cosmetics sold in Whole Foods making organic claims will have to run their products past the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (USDA NOP). Even products claiming to simply “contain organic ingredients” or who put “organic” in the brand name must also pass the test.

Of course, The USDA has taken a soft stand on this issue by saying personal care products can be certified to the NOP standard, but it’s really not mandatory. Funny, I disagree. How do you feel about Whole Foods new policy?