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What is Greenwashing & How to Spot it

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Greenwashing might sound harmless enough, with corporations wanting to appear more environmental than they are.

After all, that’s just advertising, isn’t it?

Yet how can you know what is the most sustainable choice when polluting industries hide behind misleading claims? 

Greenwashing: What is it?

Greenwashing might not be a new concept, but the word, and the tricks of the trade that lie behind it, seem to be more and more widely acknowledged. 

At its most basic, greenwashing is a type of advertising that makes a company look more environmentally friendly than it is. 

Greenwashing is used to cover over distasteful operations. Often it will involve giving lip service to an environmentally beneficial practice whilst never dealing with broader and more significant problems within the business. 

This use of green marketing can create an attractive eco brand that consumers often find more appealing. 

Research has found that many conscious consumers, those who aim to buy products that positively impact the world around them, will pay a higher price for products they view as having an environmental benefit. 

So why should we care?

Well, firstly, this sleight of hand means that we as consumers aren’t able to vote with our money on what kind of practices we are happy to be carried out on our behalf. 

Let’s put it this way: On the one hand, we have a small toilet roll company that uses only sustainable sources of wood. On the other hand, we have a bigger toilet roll company that unsustainably harvest hundreds of trees for their rolls (and don’t say it), but they promise to plant a tree for every pack you buy and communicate this “eco-friendly” action heavily.

Guess where many consumers will go? To the tree planting company.

Besides making our personal choices more difficult, it also gives large corporations a get out of jail free card, allowing them to think they don’t need to address their bigger environmental impacts. 

For larger businesses being sustainable often means an in-depth look into their supply chains, reducing their waste, and ensuring they are part of a circular economy. This is an expensive and time-consuming process. So why go through it when you can make your logo green, slap a panda on it, and pretend you’re as environmentally conscious as the next brand? 

The ethical answer to this question may be obvious, but to those looking to make a quick buck without a care for the long-lasting consequences, the easiest path is often the preferred one. 

What types of greenwashing are there?

In 2007 Terrachoice published its list of greenwashing ‘sins’, the most common ways companies greenwash their image. 

Sin of hidden trade-offsThis is achieved by focusing on one positive green attribute while ignoring other equally or more important ones. 
Sin of no proofSome companies can make grand claims without having anything to back them up with. 
Sin of vaguenessDownright lies are generally against the law within marketing and advertising, yet often a vague and undefined statement can be enough to give the illusion of environmental awareness. 
Sin of irrelevanceSometimes slapping on a fancy label can give a product a kind of prestige. If you’re trying to shift that product as quickly as possible, it doesn’t always matter if that label is entirely irrelevant. 
Sin of fibbingFibbing is generally avoided by most companies, as the risk of being taken to court is too high. Yet sometimes, they either feel it’s worth the risk, or they don’t really understand what they’re claiming. 
Sin of lesser of two evilsThis is practised on products that really can’t be good for the environment any way you look at it. While the greenwash may be distracting, the fact is these products are better off left on the shelf. 

Greenwashing tackles the eco-friendliness of a company. Now, have you heard of bluewashing yet?

How can I spot greenwashing?

recycled plastic cups

Spotting greenwashing can be a little hit and miss at first, but once you’re cued into the signs you’ll no doubt start to spot it wherever you look. 

Here are some handy tips:

Vague and without proof

Pretty words are easy to throw around, but it’s actions that count. If a company claims they are reducing their environmental footprint, make sure they’ve stated how. 

Shiny distractions

Many companies like to pull out a cute kitten to show you while simultaneously dumping toxic waste into the ocean. With no deeper sustainability efforts behind it, even the cutest kitten isn’t worth your time.  

Meaningless certificates 

Would you trust a guy down the pub who says he’s a better runner than Usain Bolt? Probably not. So why would you trust a company that gives itself accreditation and certificates?

Irrelevant positives

Sometimes keywords are slapped on simply to improve sales, while they are irrelevant to the actual product. Look up from the bingo sheet and find the real story behind what you’re buying. 

Not-so sustainable “sustainable” products 

The most sustainable product is the one you don’t buy. It’s easy to get excited about bamboo cups, and recycled plastic flip flops, but the truth is there is an environmental cost to everything. For those items where the cost is simply too high, no amount of tree planting or packaging reduction will make it worth the price.  

What companies are greenwashing?

environmental activist with a support your local planet board

Greenwashing is far more complex and varied than it may at first appear. The scale and transparency of this marketing ploy can differ greatly, from adding images of nature to packing to setting up whole charitable organisations. 

We all fall for them occasionally. So who might be pulling the wool over our eyes?

Is Nestlé greenwashing? 

Nestlé is one of the world’s biggest food producers and distributors, yet their environmental and ethical name has been mud for decades. 

The corporation has long been accused of over-extraction in areas prone to drought, causing environmental and social consequences.

However, lately, the company has been polishing its halo and jump-starting its marketing machine. Earlier in 2021, it released its Net Zero Roadmap, a document explaining its aims to be deforestation-free by 2022, have 100% reusable or recyclable packaging by 2025 and reach Net Zero by 2050. 

Sounds good, doesn’t it? In 2018 Greenpeace named Nestlé as one of the top producers of litter they found on beaches, waterways and in communities across six continents. 

Greenpeace argues that swapping virgin plastics for recycled options isn’t enough. After all, what does a sea turtle care if it’s being choked by a new plastic bag, or one that’s been around the blocks a few times?

Additionally, the fact is that those who have been following Nestlé from the start don’t have too much faith in the company’s promises. 

In the past, they have been pulled up on claims that their palm oil was 100% sustainable when the breakdown of how much of its palm oil was from sustainable sources showed the majority of it was not certified. 

Nestle Crunch

So is Nestlé greenwashing?

I think the answer, for now, has to be yes. They talk some good talk, but with a chequered past, we’re never really going to trust them until they walk a good walk.

If they do everything they set out to do, they will undoubtedly be a better company for it. However, as Greenpeace points out, as a leader of their industry, it’s not enough to do a little good.

They need to be the ice breakers for others to follow behind them. 

And are they that yet? Let’s face it, not really. 

Is Lush greenwashing? 

Here we go to the opposite end of the scale. While Nestlé has long had its name splattered across placards and written into petitions, Lush has from the start branded itself as an environmentally conscious organisation. 

Their beauty products sell themselves as being all-natural, cruelty-free and greener than green. Yet, in recent years they have been criticised for using synthetic ingredients such as parabens, sodium-lauryl-sulfate (SLS) and synthetic fragrances.

While many of these ingredients have been held up as potentially environmentally damaging or even harmful to human health, they are still used in most cosmetics and hygiene products. 

Although some studies have found links between these ingredients and cancers or issues surrounding bioaccumulation, there’s still not enough evidence to state that they are harmful in the small quantities allowed within externally used products. 

The reason many organisations use them is because they are often hard or expensive to replace with alternatives. 

Make up bag

So are critics justified in accusing Lush of greenwashing?

I’m not convinced. Lush’s brand certainly does give the impression of an all-natural, caring corporation. But unlike Nestlé

 they are open about their faults. 

If you visit the Lush website, you can read articles on the pros and cons of their synthetic ingredients. They also make it very clear which products do and don’t contain them.

Greenwashing is about hiding your wrongs, whereas Lush is ready to admit them.

Not that admitting a sin should absolve you of it, but it’s clear the brand is trying to eliminate those ingredients that may be environmentally damaging. 

With plastics, too, they aren’t perfect. Though around a third of their products are plastic-free the rest comes in tubs. However, these are made from recycled plastic and can be returned to the shop to be recycled all over again. 

Although we might be under the impression that swapping out plastic for glass or paper would be better, these products have their own environmental footprints. Glass is much more energy-hungry to produce, whereas paper making is a very polluting process. 

I agree with the critics that Lush needs to keep pushing to be greener, but I’m not convinced they are deliberately misleading anyone. Marketing will always be a simplified message, and they are at least backing it up as honestly as they can.   

Is BP greenwashing?

Who would have thought we would get to a point where multinational oil and gas companies were being accused of greenwashing?

After all, how can it be possible to plant a tree in front of an oil refinery and claim you’re greener than green? Yet, advertising is a magical thing.

BP has recently been heavily criticised for their series of billboards, TV adverts and other assorted branding components where renewable energy is prominently featured. 

Environmental Lawyers at ClientEarth have questioned the ethics of this green marketing, stating that most of the organisation’s investments in the next few years are in gas and oil rather than more environmentally sustainable alternatives. 

The company has also been criticised for its consistent pushing of the concept that gas is a cleaner and more sustainable energy source than other fossil fuels. 

Of course, it’s easy to reprimand the big oil companies, yet if you drive a car, wear polyester or have a pension that invests in the fossil fuel industry do we have a right to criticise? Aren’t we a part of the problem?  

Well yes and no. Of course, we should all be doing our part to untangle ourselves from fossil fuels where we can, but the reality is the majority of us have no choice but to drive our cars to get around and may not even be aware that our pensions are fuelling climate change. 

Yet, the multi-billion-pound fossil fuel industry at the centre of a climate disaster that may one day make our world uninhabitable has the knowledge, the money, and the workforce to do something about it. 

Realistically this won’t mean closing the pipes tomorrow, but it certainly means investing, researching and installing affordable renewable energy alternatives so that one day the pipes can be closed. 

bp tank

So if BP wants to plaster wind turbines and solar panels all over their advertising campaigns, they better well be spending a pretty sizeable chunk of their bumper annual profits building them. 

In the end, even the CEO of a multinational oil company probably has grandchildren he or she wants to hand this world down to. 

Is H&M greenwashing? 

Sustainable fashion is on the up and up. A few years ago, most of us weren’t even conscious that our clothes had an environmental cost. 

Whilst the ethics of child labour and sweatshops has given the industry a well-deserved wake-up call, issues such as the amount of water it takes to make a pair of jeans or the damage microplastics are doing to the ocean are only now really being heard. 

Greenwashing in fashion often takes the form of advertising campaigns filled with models romping in meadows, a few token items made of recycled materials, and a vague promise to reduce their environmental impact. Not exactly groundbreaking.  

H&M are a fast-fashion brand. Fast fashion has been highlighted as one of the world’s most wasteful and polluting industries, with water pollution issues, water abstraction and waste being some of the big hitters. 

In the past few years, H&M seems to have been making progress towards some of its green promises. Last year it made good its goal to get 100% of its cotton from organic, sustainable or recycled sources. 

It has also had a long-term partnership with WWF looking at water quality issues within its supply chain.

Other exciting innovations have included introducing recycling bins in their stores and creating a Conscious collection made entirely from sustainable materials. 

For the critics, however, the problem isn’t with what H&M is doing, but what they are. Fast fashion is designed to be cheap to make, follow the latest trends, but not be long-lasting. So how can a throwaway item ever be sustainable? 

H&M logo

As with Lush, I would argue that H&M isn’t greenwashing in the sense that they are trying to cover up their sins. Their recent move towards greater transparency means there’s a lot of information available on what they are doing and their aims. 

Of course, not all that glitters are gold, and while clothes recycling boxes in shops are great, the fact is that not all fabrics sent to recycling plants complete the journey, with only 35% being recycled. 

By 2040 H&M aims to have an entirely circular system built on repair, reuse, remake, and recycling. 

Indeed, constant consumption is not sustainable, and fast fashion is a part of this endless cycle. Yet, H&M is making strides in a part of the industry that often seems to have no inclination to change at all. 

If they can live up to their promises of cleaner water, greater biodiversity, lower energy consumption and a circular waste and production system, they will undoubtedly be the best of a bad bunch. 

There’s definitely no reason to stop pushing them to be even better, but every journey starts with a single step, and they’ve certainly made that.   

Is Volkswagen greenwashing?

Volkswagen has a great reputation when it comes to the reliability of their cars. However, they have also acquired some negative reputation when it comes to the respect of the environment.

Their most known scandal involved using software to reduce emissions when the cars were being tested, meaning that the models could happily head out on the road spewing up to 40 times as much nitrogen oxide as legally permitted in countries such as the US.

This is a fascinating case of greenwashing, as the trick is less one of clever marketing and more of a long-term cover-up of environmental damage. 

And what can we say about their 2021 early April Fool’s Day idea to change their name in the US, from Volkswagen to… Voltswagen – to promote their commitment to eclectic cars? Is that good marketing or just a stunt to sell more EVs? In any case, it’s backfiring

volkwswagen wheel

Volkswagen must be the case study on greenwashing, corporate greed, and a lack of environmental morals. In today’s era of scrutiny and discovery, it seems too ridiculous to believe that the car manufacturer thought it could cover up its polluting ways indefinitely. 

Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones, with such cheating devices found ever since restrictions were first set on car emissions. 

Given that the World Health Organisation estimates that around 7 million people die from poor air quality a year, we can safely say that car manufacturers who show no concern for their impact on the air we breathe have blood on their hands.

More examples of greenwashing

Here are some more examples of greenwashing to help you get a hang of what to look out for…

McDonald’sMcDonald’s has done a great deal to ‘green up’ its image in recent years. However, some offerings have turned out to be more for show. Such as their paper straws, which are too thick to be recycled. 
B&QThe gardening and DIY giant B&Q sell a peat-based compost that claims it’s ‘from sites that are of no environmental or heritage value’. Given that all peatlands have huge environmental and heritage value, this is a pretty bold statement.
Green energy In order for an energy supplier to prove they are supplying green energy, they must provide a Rego (renewable energy guarantee of origin) certificate. However, some suppliers have been merrily purchasing these certificates without ever having laid hands on a wind farm or a solar panel. 
Degradable plastic bags Most people do not understand the difference between biodegradable and degradable bags. 
While biodegradable bags are generally made of materials that will naturally break down and disappear without a trace, degradable plastics are just plastics that fall apart, creating harmful microplastics.
The British government A key party pledge for the conservative government in the last election, was the planting of 30 million trees a year. While their win has meant that funding has been made readily available for this task, there has been little to no investment in planning and aftercare. This lack of any real thought to long-term sustainability will undoubtedly result in many unfortunately situated woodlands and stands of empty tree guards, their saplings long withered. 
AdidasTheir recent release of a shoe made from recycled plastics has led to accusations of greenwashing, given the vastness of their other less sustainably made products. 
Ryanair With flying being one of the most polluting activities we undertake, all airlines are desperate for a coat of greenwash. Ryanair’s advert claiming it has the lowest carbon emissions of all European airlines was found to be misleading and lack evidence. 
L’Oreal L’Oreal has been accused of mislabeling some of its products as vegan, given that it tests on animals. The company sells its products to China, where animal testing is mandatory. 
ShellThe Shell oil company has been accused of lighting a fire with one hand while pretending to put it out with the other. Some feel their investment in climate change mitigation to be too little too late when they themselves are a huge contributor. 
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola, always an expert in branding, launched its “Life” range in 2015 in an attempt to reach health-conscious consumers. The green can has 35% less sugar than the original one, yet the same taste, thanks to the use of stevia (a plant-based sugar substitute). However, experts have claimed that the difference in sugar makes almost no difference for one’s health.

Who do we trust?

So when the corporate spin machine is weaving a web of deceit and churning out green claims that turn out to astroturf in disguise, who do we trust?

External certification is an excellent place to start.

While brands’ own claims can be jumped up or made up, reputable organisations such as the Organic Soil Association, Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance have a more robust ethical backbone. 

In part, you also need to be prepared to be your own sleuth.

If you think something seems dodgy,  check their website and look for their sustainability claims. If it’s almost non-existent or all sunshine and rainbows, be careful..Contact the company and ask them to justify themselves or prove their statement. Or you can check to see what environmental organisations are saying about it. 

It may be hard work at times, but you’ll soon see which brands are built on something solid and which are just green airbrushing over piles of waste and broken promises.

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Jonathan Davies

Jonathan Davies

Content manager @ beeco. Raised in the countryside, you can find me near water, whatever the weather.
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