Why Must You Always Check for Kosher Certification, Even on Products You Know Well?
Even when a product looks familiar it is still important for consumers to look for the Kosher certification symbol. Since some brands manufacture both certified and noncertified products whose packaging can be similar to each other, the only way to be certain that a product is certified Kosher is by seeing the kosher symbol on the package. Even when one is sure about the identity of the product that used to be Kosher, it is possible that the company that makes the product decided to end Kosher certification, or switch to another Kosher certification. Additionally, products’ designations sometimes change, so a well-known item might change from pareve (non-dairy and non-meat) to dairy.
Many food brands are private labels, meaning that a manufacturer agrees to make a product with another company’s label. Common examples include most supermarket brands. A Kosher symbol could be missing from a private label product because the label company decided to switch sources from a Kosher certified to a non-certified source.
For these reasons, consumers should never feel assured of a product’s Kosher status until they view the certification symbol on the package with their own eyes.