Feeling the record heat on your skin and the big summer swelter, everyone can say they are experiencing climate change. With various global environmental issues coming to the fore, the public has started to pay attention to the products and services they buy. In addition, there is an increasing preference for products made from natural materials, which ensure a circular economy and are recycled. Unfortunately, in order to gain consumer trust, the bad practice of businesses lying about various “green” activities is on the increase.

Greenwashing is also a successful form of manipulation, as the term is used to mislead the consumer, i.e., about the raw materials of a product or service, the by-products produced, energy consumption, suppliers, etc.

Manifestations and examples

There are several ways in which greenwashing can take place. One of them is misleading the consumer. A product is often renamed, rebranded, with its identity and packaging changed to suit the preferences of today’s consumers who prefer a more environmentally friendly product. Compared to competing products, the product’s packaging is visually designed to show that it is more natural, healthier or chemical-free. Moreover, such misleading information is not only visible on the shelves, but also in media publications, advertisements, on the company’s website, etc. The second type relates to company activities and misleading data in sustainability documentation, misleading investors, customers, partners and even employees.

The most common signs of greenwashing are:

• non-specific slogans, terms such as eco-friendly, environmentally friendly, organic, etc;
• visual design associated with an environmentally friendly product, such as the colour green;
• the emphasis in marketing on various positive features that seem to indicate superiority over other products;
• symbols and illustrations that provide insufficient information. 

How to avoid misinformation?

First, check the information thoroughly. Carefully worded sentences are not always true. It is important to identify false claims by looking for information based on data and research. How to find out where the data has been obtained and whether it has a scientific basis? Look for products that clearly define sustainability practices rather than using generic descriptions. Secondly, make sure the company uses environmental auditing services to ensure sustainability throughout the production process. Thirdly, it is also possible to ask the company that produces the product to check the composition of the product.

To be sure that a food, household product or service is indeed environmentally friendly, it must be certified as such. For example, the EU Ecolabel is a trusted certificate. Only a manufacturer or service provider whose product or service meets certain criteria, which are set and verified by an independent body and experts studying the full life-cycle environmental impact of each product group, can qualify to use the Ecolabel.

Slogans most often used in greenwashing

Environmentally friendly

All products have an environmental impact. The term “environmentally friendly” is widely used because it is impossible to define it with legal precision. How is it possible to claim that a given product with a given slogan is more environmentally friendly than one without it?

Degradable/biodegradable

This is a common term. Technically, most items degrade, so the question is – how fast? It could be a few weeks or even over a hundred years. Is it necessary to buy goods with a lifespan longer than that of an elephant (up to 70 years)? To assess the impact of a product, it is necessary to consider its entire life cycle – how it was made and how the materials needed for it were obtained.

Other commonly used terms

• ECO
• recyclable
• ecological
• sustainable
• chemical-free
• climate-neutral

Harm caused

The consumer is misled, or his/her right to truthful information is violated, and various other harms result from this aspect. For example, by persuading an increasing number of consumers of a particular product that does not meet environmentally friendly criteria, environmental damage is indirectly caused. There are also potential health risks, especially for people who are sensitive to different chemicals, if the origin or ingredients of a product are lied about.

Companies that misrepresent their environmental responsibility by deceiving consumers and investors may make higher profits in the short term, but in the long term they can cause significant damage to the Earth and its resources.

It is important that today it is possible to contact the Consumer Rights Protection Centre about various forms of greenwashing and to spot questionable commercial practices. Most often a civil offence is determined, but in rare cases criminal liability is also imposed. However, it is the reputational damage, not the fine, that causes the most damage to a company.

The authorities do not receive many complaints about greenwashing, probably because it has not yet received such widespread public attention. It should be remembered that greenwashing can also have a negative impact on those who are honestly certified to conduct responsible business. However, if we want to eradicate greenwashing and avoid being deceived, we need to be smarter and pay more attention!