Insinuating and making exaggerated or halo claims about products or company practices has been pretty much standard marketing forever. And it still is in many ways, but increasingly, in the sustainability space, it is not only out of favour, but illegal as sustainbility related laws change.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been pretty clear on greenwashing and has been publishing guidelines, making threats and media statements for years about legitimacy of sustainability claims. Recently however, the announced a crackdown and investigation into misleading sustainability-related marketing claims online in a bid to stamp-out greenwashing.
The online investigation will include over 200 businesses, with findings to later be published on the ACCC’s website. Deputy chair of the ACCC Delia Rickard said the online investigations will be followed up with compliance, education and potential enforcement.
Greenwashing is portraying an organization, or its product or services as environmentally friendly only for the sake of marketing. In truth, the product or service doesn’t have or hardly has any environmental benefits - and sometimes environmental claims are made to paper over completely awful, unenvironmental behaviour..
Some of the best examples of corporate greenwashing is found in the oil and gas sector where companies, for instance, claim to be reducing greenhouse gas emissions while they were actually increasing; or producing green energy when it's only a small fraction of their business.
At both a company and product level, the most common - and often confusing - greenwashing is showing the eco-friendliness of a product by using or highlighting eco-friendly and sustainable words and ideas. Phrases such as “Made from Botanicals”, packages showing green fields and flowers, made up certifications or loads of content about sustainability, but no specific product or company claims.
There is one rule to rule all rules in answer to this question.
IF A COMPANY DOESN'T MAKE A DIRECT, SPECIFIC CLAIM ABOUT THE RELEVANT ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS OF THEIR BUSINESS OR A PRODUCT THEY ARE SELLING; AND BACK IT UP, ASSUME NONE EXISTS.
IF THE LANGUAGE IS GENERAL, EXPANSIVE AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, ENJOY THE READ AND FIND SOMEONE GENUINE.
There are so many ways that products and companies are 'greened', using some extremely sophisticated methods. But in the end, do your research and look for the specific evidence. Good companies, do the right thing, will always tell you.