What is Greenwashing? How to check if brands are greenwashing or not?

So, let’s say you are a consumer who recently went down the internet rabbit hole of sustainability and climate crisis. And now you have decided that you want to do your part by making environmentally conscious choices. To you, it’s a responsible step towards environmental conservation. So, the next time you are purchasing something, you go for products and companies which seem to also care about the same problems. Saving the earth is easy, right? Well, not really.

This is where greenwashing comes in. As it turns out, these companies know that you’re on the lookout for sustainable products and they try to leverage this fact by deceiving customers into believing that they’re also on the same team as them. Greenwashing is when companies mislead the consumers into believing that their product or company is environmentally friendly or sustainable.

What is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing refers to the deceptive practices by many companies that misleads the consumers into believing that their products are environment friendly and/or sustainable even when they are not. This is done through various marketing tactics like disclosing selective information, using vague language, and more.

The term “greenwashing” was first coined in a 1986 essay by environmentalist Jay Westerveld where he talked about a hotel which encouraged the customers to reuse the towels for environmental conservation. However, the primary intent of the hotel was to cut costs while it was amidst an expansion at a sensitive island group.

One of the first advertising campaigns, in the context of which the word “greenwashing” was used was Chevron’s “People Do” campaign. This campaign portrayed the company as environmentally friendly even though the reality was quite the contrary.

How exactly do these companies “greenwash” themselves?

There are several tactics companies use to create a false impression of being environmentally responsible which include either making outright false claims or overstating the benefits or virtues of their product. Let’s take a look at some common ways companies misguide their consumers.

Nature related Visuals

One of the most widely used tactics is using nature related visuals in their branding, packaging and communication. Imagery of trees, leaves or just the clever use of the colour green creates a false impression of a product being “eco-friendly”.

Vague Language and Buzzwords

Companies use popular green-related buzzwords such as “eco-friendly”, “sustainable”, “green” about their products without mentioning any specific details. These words are vague and can be interpreted in a lot of ways so that brands can conveniently come up with an explanation when questioned about their usage.

Selective Details

Companies may highlight one specific element of their product while not revealing the overall environmental impact of the production process. For instance, companies will highlight the fact that their bottles are recyclable but won’t tell you the carbon footprint of the production process.

Overstating Benefits

Exaggerating a product’s environmental benefits is another way to deceive consumers and distract them from other aspects of the product that may not be so environmentally friendly. For instance, a company may call their cars “eco friendly” which is only marginally more fuel efficient.

Impact on Environment

Greenwashing is not only not environmentally friendly, but it also has adverse effects on actual work being done to counter climate change. It undermines people who actually dedicate time and effort towards environmental work, customers who go the extra mile to mindfully pick products. It overshadows and decreases the visibility of other companies that are genuinely environmentally responsible. Thus, greenwashing comes in the way of actual green efforts.

It enables companies to pursue environmentally harmful practices while maintaining the facade of sustainability. For instance, a company could promote minor environmental initiatives while engaging in harmful environmental practices elsewhere.

Real-Life examples of greenwashing

Apple

In 2023, Apple was called out for only revealing selective data in its sustainability reports. Critics argued that while Apple highlighted specific environmental achievements, it did not address ongoing issues such as labour conditions in its supply chain and the ecological impact of continuous product launches.

H&M

H&M faced criticism for using the “Conscious” label. They were accused of misleading their consumers by creating a certification system that lacked transparency and rigorous standards.

Amazon

Amazon also faced criticism for highlighting its investments in renewable energy while failing to address and disclose the huge carbon footprint of its global logistics network.

Shell

Shell’s advertisements depicted wind turbines and solar panels despite their significant investments in fossil fuel. The imagery left misleading impression of Shell’s overall environmental impact.

How to check if a brand is greenwashing?

Here are some ways you can spot greenwashing and make more responsible choices.

Verify the company’s track record

You can also look up a company’s history in terms of sustainability. If it is a genuinely sustainable company, they would generally have detailed sustainability reports and full transparency regarding their practices.

Look past the marketing and imagery

Companies often use nature related visuals to create an illusion of sustainability. Nature related visuals on a product or in a company’s branding don’t necessarily mean that the company is environmentally friendly.

Look for specific details

Always check for specific details regarding how a brand is approaching sustainability. If there are no specific details available and just vague labels such as “eco-friendly”, it’s best to steer clear of those brands.

Look for evidence

If a company is genuinely green, companies would generally provide easily accessible information to verify their claims. Their claims must be backed by verifiable evidence. These would include detailed reports, third-party certifications, and supply chain transparency.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do companies greenwash? Companies may partake in greenwashing either intentionally or unintentionally. Generally, greenwashing is an attempt to capitalise on the growing demand for sustainable products as consumers, especially Gen Z, become more environmentally conscious. It allows companies to disguise their unsustainable practices that would otherwise face scrutiny.

2. Is greenwashing illegal? This depends on several factors and varies from case to case. While misleading advertising is illegal in a lot of jurisdictions, companies can find loopholes to justify their claims. Some cases of outright false claims may be punishable by law while there would be some examples that lie in a legal grey area.

3. Why is greenwashing a problem? Greenwashing not only misleads environmentally conscious customers, it also becomes a hindrance for actual action against climate change. It prevents other companies that are putting in effort for the cause from being recognised and supported.

Conclusion

Greenwashing is a very common practice. Chances are pretty high that at least some of the products that you use thinking that they’re environmentally friendly are greenwashed. According to a report by TerraChoice, 95% of products in the USA that were advertised as being green were actually greenwashing. To make an environmentally sound choice, you need not only make yourself aware about various issues but also put in extra effort to be wary of these tactics and go the extra mile of making sure that the company you’re buying from is not greenwashing. Greenwashing doesn’t just affect the consumers and the company, it has a direct detrimental impact on the global action against climate change.