Sustainability and eco-friendly living have become more important to the average consumer than ever. One survey in 2019 found that 35% of people choose sustainable products to help the environment. Many more want to be more conscious about what they buy.
Marketers are well aware of those desires.
Think about the last time you went to the grocery store, or check out everything from pantry items to cleaning products in your home. How many of them use words like “green,” “eco-friendly”, or “natural”. Maybe that’s even why you purchased them.
Unfortunately, many of those products have been greenwashed.
Greenwashing is a practice that marketing companies use to portray products in a way that convinces consumers their purchase will be environmentally-conscious. The words they use can be misleading, causing you to buy something that might be more harmful to the environment than you realize.
So, what can you do to distinguish greenwashing in everyday products?
Learn to Read Labels
Businesses and marketing teams are counting on most consumers getting drawn in by specific words, colors, and themes. One of your favorite cleaning products, for example, might use green imagery or have green leaves in the background of their logo. They might focus on words like “green” or “cruelty-free”, but that doesn’t mean the products aren’t harmful.
One of the best ways you can make sure the products you choose are actually safe for the environment is to take a closer look at labels. Look past what the marketers want you to see.
When you’re reading a label, make sure to look at the ingredients included in the product. Look out for any safety warnings or whether the product could be harmful to children or pets. If so, it likely has chemical agents in it that can be just as damaging to the planet. Other things to look for on labels include:
- False information or no proof of a claim
- False certifications
- Vagueness
- Puffery
- Hidden trade-offs
The more you know about what to look for, the easier it will be to avoid purchasing the wrong products, so you can feel better about everything you bring into your home.
Do Your Research
If you don’t want to feel rushed when you’re at the store or you’re not sure what certain labels mean, do your research ahead of time. The more you understand some of the tactics behind greenwashing, the easier it will be to spot it.
One of the easiest ways to determine if a company is truthful with its claims is to look at its website. Do they have any awards or accolades referring to their green practices? What is the feedback from other customers like? Are they offering a “behind-the-scenes” look at their products and how things are made?
Most eco-friendly companies are eager to share their efforts with their consumers. If a company seems to be hiding things or doesn’t talk about those practices, you should consider it a red flag.
Many green companies will also partner with eco-friendly organizations. If a company only claims to be environmentally friendly, they’ll likely try to avoid independent organizations that review such things. You can do your own research to see which organizations work with various brands and businesses, and what they have to say about some of your favorites. Most environmental organizations are quick to point out which brands are doing more harm than good.
Greenwashing isn’t ethical, and it’s misleading to the average consumer. But, you can do your part to avoid it by understanding the signs, researching, and telling others to do the same. The more consumers who demand real change and honest products, the more these businesses will be forced to come clean.
Image Source: Unsplash.
