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Greenwashing refers to the way in which businesses use advertising techniques to make themselves appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. For example, Amazon promoted a line of sustainable products they advertised as “carbon-neutral,” but the items were still wrapped in single-use plastic and shopped thousands of miles.
Check out this gallery to learn all about greenwashing and how you can spot it.
Unfortunately greenwashing is a common industry tactic and for years it has gone unchecked. As people become more aware, however, companies that greenwash will lose ground.
There are a number of things to look out for when it comes to spotting greenwashing. We list and explain the main ones in this gallery.
A favorite advertising technique of companies that greenwash is to use vague language or even make false claims. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) receives many complaints about this.
In fact, there are a number of companies whose adverts have been banned. For instance, in 2019 regulators banned a Ryanair ad that boasted Europe’s lowest emissions without sufficient evidence.
Hyundai also came under fire in 2021 for an advert that claimed their car “cleaned the air.” The ASA judged the ad to be misleading and banned it.
The expert advice when it comes to false or unclear claims is to find a secondary, authoritative source that can back up what the ad suggests is true.
Supermarkets are awash with products that companies claim are “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “sustainable.” Rarely, however, are these terms backed by scientific evidence.
An example of a company that has been pulled up for this behavior is HDS. In 2016, a complaint was filed against them after they posted an ad on their website for Amazing Cleaners.
The ad claimed that products used were “100% eco-friendly.” The ad was banned when regulators discovered that there was no scientific evidence to support the claim.
Again, when faced with an ad that uses such glossy language, it's a good idea to look for evidence that can back up and legitimize the claim.
You should also be wary of the fact that businesses may hide certain information in order to paint the best possible picture. This is a particular problem in the fashion industry.
For example, a company might promote its "sustainable fashion" items, but not take into account the CO2 emissions of the overseas factories that produce their product components.
An example of this behavior in another industry is the Shell case from 2007. In this case the oil giant went live with an ad that implied it used waste CO2 to grow plants.
When the ASA discovered that only a fraction of the company’s waste emissions were put to this task, the ad was banned. Always do your best to uncover the full picture!
Be careful, too, when it comes to carbon offsetting. The basic idea with this is that we can offset our CO2 emissions by finding a way to take the equivalent amount of CO2 out of the air.
In theory, this is not a problem, but experts have criticized carbon offsetting as a form of greenwashing that actually contributes to the problem.
David Barmes of Positive Money has said, "It's riddled with fraud and allows firms to claim they're meeting emissions targets while they continuously pump emissions into the air."
"The whole point of offsets is to allow these corporations to keep emitting with impunity and allow governments to claim they are meeting targets."
When deciding which company to buy a product from, it is a good idea to check ultimate ownership. This is because big companies with a large carbon footprint can hide.
It is not uncommon for large, environmentally-unfriendly companies to buy smaller, eco-friendly brands so that they can appeal to the environmentally-conscious customer.
It is therefore a good idea to check for parent companies so you know exactly which company and environmental policy you are supporting with your purchase.
Be aware, too, that companies may promote certain products in their range that are more environmentally friendly, in an attempt to distract you from the others that aren’t.
This is a common tactic and one that can be discovered by researching a company’s full product range. If you can find info on some products and not others, this is a bad sign.
In the words of the head of Consumer Protection Policy at Which?, "Companies that have something to hide—or no good stories to tell—often make it harder for consumers to check out their eco credentials.”
Finally, remember to be savvy about recycling. It is possible for companies to attach the “recycling-ready” logo to a product that is actually difficult to recycle.
In 2018, McDonald’s swapped plastic straws for paper ones, only for customers to discover a year later that the paper straws weren’t recyclable either.
In 2019, Ancol Pet Products got in trouble with the ASA for advertising “biodegradable” dog bags that wouldn’t actually biodegrade in the destination they would most likely end up in.
So there you have it, some tips to help you make informed and environmentally-conscious decisions. Spread the word!
Sources: (BBC) (ASA)
See also: How whales help to combat climate change
What is greenwashing, and how can you spot it?
The phenomenon that blights the advertising industry
LIFESTYLE Environment
Greenwashing refers to the way in which businesses use advertising techniques to make themselves appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. For example, Amazon promoted a line of sustainable products they advertised as “carbon-neutral,” but the items were still wrapped in single-use plastic and shopped thousands of miles.
Check out this gallery to learn all about greenwashing and how you can spot it.