Shades of Green

Today’s consumer faces an ever-increasing variety of products, accompanied by product information. According to “Eco-promising: communicating the environmental impacts of your products and services,” nearly half of consumers are confused about the differences between Fairtrade, ethical and organic products. This confusion is driven by a lack of standardization amongst environmental production platforms as well as a level of dishonesty in marketing schemes.

Eco-promising, according to the article, is the practice of making claims about the environmental attributes of products. There has been a surge in environmental reporting and due-diligence amongst businesses in recent years and often times these claims are third-party certified. However these certifications, in addition to new company specific standards, have ultimately muddied the waters for consumers. There is currently debate over the forward direction on labeling schemes. The Eco-promising report states that some advocate for a single unifying logo/label that could merge or overlap on existing labels, while others believe more separation and detail is called for.

Companies are making eco-promises in order to begin the development of a regulatory framework, but also to enhance their reputation and grow sales. Eco-promising often gives way to greenwashing which is the process of “misleading the public by stressing the environmental credentials of a person, company, or product when they are unfounded or irrelevant,” simply states the Greenwash Guide. Companies often make an eco-promise on one aspect of a product, misleading consumers to believe the entire product is environmentally conscious. Clorox’s Green Works cleaning supplies line is an example of greenwashing. While their product has 99% all-natural ingredients, the packaging and processing is the same as their other lines. The name and the label misrepresent the scope of its “green impact.” Seventh Generation is a strong example of eco-promising done right. Their product’s ingredients are non-toxic and their packaging is fully compostable and made from recycled fiber. The entire company is dedicated to environmental sustainability, which yields to higher transparency.

“In a market economy the consumer is king, and consumers have started sending strong environmental signals through their purchasing” claims the Greenwash Guide. As the green marketing rises, consumers must be overly aware of company claims to environmental stewardship. The Greenwash Guide tips that if a claim seems off – it probably is. Become familiar with the main third-party labels and be sure to look past the green leaves and flowers on packaging.