Last year, we covered the topic of greenwashing in this blog for two paragraphs , but now we want to discuss it at length because we think it's important. So, here it is!
Market research shows that consumers are often willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. This means that if a company decides to go green, it can ultimately result in increased revenue. In an ideal world, they probably wouldn't exploit this factor by simply disguising or presenting something as green that it isn't, but unfortunately, it seems that humanity is not here yet.
What is greenwashing?
Greenwashing is actually a form of misinformation and deception that is often used by certain companies to “win over” more conscious consumers. Of course, this means that unfortunately, companies that appear to be sustainable, biodegradable, or environmentally conscious sometimes fail to deliver on their promises to consumers.
According to the definition of Conscious Shoppers :
“ Greenwashing is the making, suggesting or omitting specific or general statements about the environmental benefits or environmental impact of a product, enterprise or initiative, in visual or textual communication on the product or in connection with it (e.g. in advertising), which are capable of influencing the decisions of customers, investors or other stakeholders (e.g. employees), but which are not supported by independent and verifiable evidence, publicly, in a clear and easily accessible manner for consumers.”
What does green repainting look like?
Greenwashing can be overt and obvious or subtle. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission regulates green advertising at the federal level and has been prosecuting companies that violate environmental marketing guidelines since 1992. In recent years, the agency has sued Walmart and Kohl's for advertising red-containing textiles as eco-friendly bamboo, and Volkswagen for lying about the fuel efficiency of its cars.
Experts say that going green is especially common in the fashion industry, as sustainability has become the latest trend, making it easier to entice consumers to buy with the promise of more sustainable fashion. Going green may seem easier for companies in the short term and of course a cheaper option than actually doing it to be green.
Another way to mislead consumers is to distract them from the company’s larger issues. A company might introduce a new product line, such as a pair of jeans, that uses less water to produce. This means that they theoretically have a smaller ecological footprint than other garments. Meanwhile, the same company ignores the water use of other products and does nothing to make the manufacturing process more environmentally friendly.
What's wrong with painting it green?
Greenwashing is bad for everyone. It is bad for consumers, as misleading claims and lies can lead them to make the wrong decisions while believing they are doing the right thing. With products and services suddenly appearing in green, it may seem like our current consumption levels are perfectly fine. We know that we use up the planet’s resources in half a year. Greenwashing obscures the need for social dialogue and consensus on reducing our consumption. It hinders the launch of programs and real solutions aimed at this.
It is bad not only for consumers but also for businesses that have invested in truly green operations and the development of environmentally friendly products. The benefits are also reaped by businesses that make empty claims, thereby gaining an unfair competitive advantage. Good businesses may be disadvantaged. Greenwashing hinders the spread of truly green innovations, because they are difficult to notice and find in the green communication noise.
Consumer confidence in environmentally friendly products with authentic certification is damaged: it is also bad for certification schemes that demonstrate real results and make validated claims, such as the EU Ecolabel and its national equivalents. And of course, it is bad for the planet.
How to avoid green repainting?
Providing information and education about the concept of greenwashing and how it works is one effective way for consumers to avoid giving their money to lying companies.
There are processes underway at the national, EU and global levels that aim to create stricter legislation, so sooner or later, repainting green will no longer be a promising option, but in the meantime, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it.
What should you pay attention to?
The list below can help you understand what the warning signs might be, from which you can conclude that you are dealing with green paint:
- When a company highlights some insignificant sustainable feature, diverting attention from the fact that the product itself is otherwise environmentally polluting.
- Unprovable claims, when you can't verify it, there is no other information, proof, or document about it.
- Indefinable or irrelevant statements.
- Statements that convey false information.
- If you come across an otherwise polluting company selling a green product.
- When a polluting company uses nature-inspired images and flowers in its ads. It's scientific nonsense when it sounds good but you don't really know what it means.
- When an award or badge, for example, certifying that a product is organic, is issued by an organization that appears to be an independent third party, but is actually owned by the company that produces the product.
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