Checking the Skal number: how to verify an organic business

The Skal number is the control number that shows that an organic product has been checked by Skal Biocontrole . It begins with the code NL-BIO-01, Skal’s code for products produced, packed or labelled in the Netherlands. You find it on the label or packaging, and you check it in the public organic operator directory of TRACES .

This article explains where the number is, how you check it and what to do if it is missing. For the rules on the EU organic logo, read EU organic logo. For who must show a business’s certificate, see list of Skal-certified businesses.

NL-BIO-01 proves that Skal carried out the check. It does not automatically prove that the business is certified at this moment. You check that separately.

What does the Skal number look like?

The Skal number begins with the code of the control body: NL-BIO-01. That is the code of Skal Biocontrole. On a package you often see only that code, or the code together with the rest of the number.

A full certificate number looks like this, for example: NL-BIO-01.528-0007252.2025.001. The part after NL-BIO-01 is the number of the business’s certificate. The year and the sequence number are also part of it. You find the full number on the certificate and in TRACES.

Article 32 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 sets out exactly where the control number must appear. The EU organic logo is mandatory for most pre-packaged organic food products made in the EU.

Where do you find the number?

The number is on the packaging or label, near the EU logo. For a product sold loose, such as at a greengrocer or bakery, ask the seller for it. The seller must be able to check it with the supplier.

The number sometimes also appears on an invoice or delivery note. In that case, ask the supplier for the certificate. Then you have the proof, and not only a number on paper.

How do you check the number?

Read the full number

Note the code NL-BIO-01 and the full certificate number. Take a photo of the label if the number is hard to read.

Search for the number in TRACES

Open the organic operator directory of TRACES . Search by the business name or by the number. The business appears with its certificate.

Check the validity

Look at the validity date on the certificate. An expired certificate no longer applies to new deliveries.

Check the status

Check whether the business is active. TRACES also lists businesses that have been suspended or whose certificate has been withdrawn.

Compare the details

Do the name, address and number match what is on the product? Then the check has passed.

Example: a jar of honey with the wrong number

Beekeeping business Het Gouden Veld (fictional) sells organic honey in 500-gram jars. The label shows NL-BIO-01 with a number that does not exist in TRACES. A customer phones the shop, which then checks the label.

This concerns either an error on the label or a falsified claim. The shop stops selling the honey until the beekeeper shows a valid certificate. That way you avoid selling an incorrect organic claim yourself.

What do you do if the number is wrong or missing?

For a pre-packaged organic product, the control number must be on the packaging. If it is missing, you cannot check the organic claim. This also applies if the product carries the words bio, eko or organic.

Follow these steps:

Ask the supplier for the certificate. A genuine organic supplier can show it immediately.
Check the business in TRACES. If it is not listed there, the claim cannot be checked.
Report it to Skal. Skal supervises businesses that wrongly use an organic designation. Email info@skal.nl or call 038-4268181.

A number on an invoice is not enough proof. Ask for the certificate, or check the number yourself in TRACES.

Frequently asked questions

What does NL-BIO-01 mean exactly?

NL-BIO-01 is the code of Skal Biocontrole. It appears on products produced, packed or labelled in the Netherlands. A product from another EU country has a different country code and a different control body.

Must the Skal number always be on the product?

For pre-packaged organic food made in the EU, the EU logo with the control number applies. For products from third countries, the logo is not mandatory. If the logo is on the product, the product must meet all EU rules. Read the details on EU organic logo.

Can I also ask Skal for the number?

Yes. Email info@skal.nl or call 038-4268181 and give the number and the business name. Skal can then tell you whether the business is currently certified.