Climate protection is no longer something any company can avoid today. More and more consumers pay attention to environmental awareness and increasingly demand “green” products. As a result, companies are increasingly examining the impact of their business on the environment and society and are trying to make their business models and products as sustainable as possible. However, companies and their products are often far less “green” than they claim. Instead, so-called greenwashing is used to make products more attractive—or even to sell them at a higher price.
The number of customers who pay attention to a low carbon footprint when shopping is steadily increasing. Whether organic food, eco-friendly packaging, or fair-trade clothing—the end consumer is particularly likely to buy when the product range gives a “sustainable” impression. But are companies honest, and are their products truly as green as they are advertised to be?
Not always, because for many manufacturers it is simply too expensive to actually produce sustainably and control their supply chains. Instead of building environmentally responsible production processes, some prefer to engage in so-called greenwashing. They invest in extensive advertising and image campaigns instead of actually acting sustainably. While flowery marketing promises have been common practice in companies for decades, customers today are no longer so easily deceived due to widespread transparency.
Green labeling deception
The problem with greenwashing is that it is not easy to recognize from the outside. Companies use various tricks to give consumers the impression of sustainability and distract from reality with “smoke and mirrors.” However, there are a few typical greenwashing methods that are easy to identify. These include, for example, imaginative in-house eco-labels used by fashion brands. They are intended to signal environmental commitment and highlight a supposedly sustainable product range. However, their actual credibility regarding sustainability and working conditions is limited, as there is no official certification behind them.
Vague terms such as “natural,” “eco-friendly,” or “environmentally friendly” are often used. These terms are not protected by standards and therefore do not require verifiable proof of benefit. Another common tactic is obfuscation. Positive product attributes are strongly emphasized, while negative aspects are omitted or concealed. “Made from natural raw materials” says nothing about the actual quality of the ingredients. In addition, some companies use claims such as “good energy efficiency,” which are not meaningful to consumers without comparative values. Textile manufacturers also advertise the use of recycled materials. While this may be true, if it applies to only one percent of the collection and a garment contains a maximum of 20 percent recycled fibers, it is still far from being truly sustainable.
Greenwashing is part of everyday consumer culture—at least so far. It is positive that almost every company today tries to contribute to sustainability. However, far too many still use their creativity to make supposedly “green” products more appealing to consumers. This potential should instead be used for genuine sustainability. Change is worthwhile, as disappointed or lost trust can only be regained with great effort.
However, responsibility does not lie solely with companies but also with consumers. Conscious behavior should always align with the expectations one places on others. The younger generation in particular, which strongly promotes sustainability, is still sometimes inconsistent in this regard. The success of textile discounters such as Primark, which offers fast fashion at extremely low prices, or fitness shakes and shisha products with sometimes questionable ingredients, should at least be critically questioned.
