These symbols, representing various certify-
ing organizations, mean the product you're
purchasing is kosher.
Have you ever purchased one product over another because it’s labeled “kosher” while the other item isn’t? If you’re a goy – not Jewish – you’re in growing company.
Market research company Mintel reports that 3 in 5 people who purchase kosher foods buy them for perceived quality rather than religious reasons. While this particular report was issued this month, it’s really not very new information and kosher certification organizations have been aware of this for quite some time.
Kosher food rules are part of kashrut, the body of dietary laws concerning food in Jewish religious tradition (check out Leviticus 11 for the biblical source). Even if you’re not Jewish, you’re probably familiar with some of them: Jews are not supposed to eat pork, or mix dairy products with meat (which means bacon cheeseburgers are definitely off limits).
The laws are far more extensive than that, however, and range into topics that many might consider a little odd (Jews are forbidden from eating many insects, for example, or “any swarming-creature that goes about on all fours” which is something of a mystery as all insects have six legs). For years, it’s been believed that kashrut had more to do with hygiene but research has begun to suggest that hygiene had very little to do with it: in all likelihood, kashrut was a way for early Jews to distinguish themselves from their ancient neighbors.
Be that as it may, kosher labeling is now seen by many consumers as a guarantee of wholesomeness, and food producers are willing to pay for the right to have their products labeled kosher. Other groups, such as Muslims, also look for kosher products because kashrut is very similar to halal, or Islam’s own dietary rules. Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians, and people simply concerned with health are frequent buyers of kosher products, as well.
The Orthodox Union is probably among the best known kosher certifiers (you’ll recognize their symbol, it’s the circle with the little “U” in the center) and they make a great deal of money from their program. I have a pamphlet from the OU that promotes their service as “the Lexus of kosher”.
“Recently, the OU conducted an informal survey, to which it received approximately 150 responses,” according to the same pamphlet. “All of them indicated a significant increase in sales since they became kosher, ranging from 5% to as much as 75%.”
In other words, kosher is big business. But what does that mean to the consumer? We’ll look at that tomorrow.
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