{"id":123,"date":"2021-11-09T15:44:32","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T15:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/econyq.com\/news\/?p=123"},"modified":"2021-11-09T15:47:30","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T15:47:30","slug":"climate-change-seven-ways-to-spot-businesses-greenwashing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/climate-change-seven-ways-to-spot-businesses-greenwashing\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate change: Seven ways to spot businesses greenwashing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Greenwashing &#8211; branding something as eco-friendly, green or sustainable when this is not the case &#8211; misleads consumers into thinking they are helping the planet by choosing those products.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">And businesses are being held to account on this in the way they advertise. But what do customers need to look out for to spot greenwashing?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/business-58222808\">Efforts to curb energy tariffs &#8216;greenwashing&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/technology-58831379\">Google, YouTube ban ads on climate misinformation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/business-58645708\">Advertising regulator to target greenwashing ads<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">1. False claims or vague language<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The Advertising Standards Authority says this is the area it receives the most complaints about. And some firms have already had adverts banned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In 2019, the advertising regulator banned a\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org.uk\/rulings\/ryanair-ltd-cas-571089-p1w6b2.html\">Ryanair ad claiming it was the airline with Europe&#8217;s lowest emissions without sufficient evidence<\/a>\u00a0to support the claim. And a Hyundai advert,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org.uk\/rulings\/hyundai-motor-uk-ltd-a21-1096716-hyundai-motor-uk-ltd.html\">claiming a car &#8220;cleaned the air&#8221;, was also judged by the ASA to be misleading<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Ingredients in a product being described as &#8220;natural&#8221;, &#8220;organic&#8221; or &#8220;eco-friendly&#8221;, when only some of the ingredients can be described as this, can also fall into this category.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Sue Davies, head of Consumer Protection Policy at Which? says, in general, customers should try to find a secondary, authoritative source of information to back up manufacturers&#8217; claims.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;Think about the bigger picture. For example, can environmental claims made on a single-use plastic water bottle be taken seriously?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">2. Images of nature or &#8216;green&#8217; buzzwords<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Phrases such as &#8220;eco&#8221;, &#8220;sustainable&#8221; and &#8220;green&#8221; are commonly used by companies to make the business appear environmentally conscious &#8211; but they rarely pertain to any scientific standards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">A website for HDS Group&#8217;s Amazing Cleaners, seen in July 2016,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org.uk\/rulings\/hds-group-ltd-a16-348654.html\">featured the claim &#8220;100% eco-friendly&#8221;<\/a>. A complaint was upheld after it was found the statement was made without any evidence or explanation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">And an advert for Alpro Almond milk was also banned for a misleading environmental claim. The ad said the milk was &#8220;good for the planet&#8221;, branding it: &#8220;Your recipe to a healthier planet.&#8221; Alpro said customers would understand the ad&#8217;s slogan referred to plant-based products having a lower environmental impact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">But while the ASA said it understood the almonds used by Alpro were not sourced from areas where production could have a negative environmental impact, such claims must be clearer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">3. Hiding information<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Fashion brands may promote clothes made of &#8220;sustainable&#8221; fabrics, even if the rest of their clothing line is damaging to the environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">For example, a firm could claim to be environmentally-friendly, but not take into account supply-chain emissions from a coal-powered overseas factory used to make part of a product.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Other industries have fallen foul of this. As far back as 2007, the ASA ruled against Shell for an ad implying it used waste carbon dioxide to grow plants, when the regulator actually found the quantity used was only a small fraction of its emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In another example,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org.uk\/rulings\/edward-bulmer-ltd-a18-470596.html\">Edward Bulmer claimed<\/a>\u00a0its paint was &#8220;the most eco-friendly paint on the market&#8221;, but failed to highlight the fact it contained various ingredients that were not environmentally-friendly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">4. Look out for carbon offsetting<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">A government, business or individual can attempt to balance their own emissions by finding other ways to remove an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The process is called carbon offsetting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">But environmental groups argue this is kicking the problem into the long grass rather than dealing with the issue of actually cutting emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">David Barmes, senior economist at the campaign group Positive Money, says offsetting is the most popular form of greenwashing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;It&#8217;s riddled with fraud and allows firms to claim they&#8217;re meeting emissions targets while they continuously pump emissions into the air.&#8221; He adds: &#8220;The whole point of offsets is to allow these corporations to keep emitting with impunity and allow governments to claim they are meeting targets.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">5. Check company ownership<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Larger firms, or conglomerations, with a high environmental impact have often bought smaller brands to target environmentally conscious customers who otherwise might not have chosen to spend with them. So knowing what, or who, the ultimate owner of a firm is could be important if you want to find out their entire environmental impact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Accountability and authenticity, Prof Eccles says, are serious problems. An entire businesses&#8217; carbon emissions, he says, should be like calorie labels on a product, where &#8220;everyone pays attention to them, they are certified independently and they influence consumer decisions&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Professor Kimberly Nicholas, senior lecturer in sustainability at Lund University, in Sweden, told the BBC that the most effective action is for companies to commit to eliminating fossil fuels from each part of their supply chains: &#8220;Customers need to direct their money away from all firms that are producing or connected to financing fossil fuels.&#8221; She said: &#8220;Without this action is useless.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">6. Eco-friendly products in a wider range<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Some firms will market environmentally beneficial products, but will omit information about the impact of their other products.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Food company Quorn had an\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asa.org.uk\/rulings\/marlow-foods-ltd-g20-1061634-marlow-foods-ltd.html\">ad banned which involved the way carbon was certified for one of their products.<\/a>\u00a0ASA said the advert did not clarify what the claimed reduction of the carbon footprint was being measured against, and viewers would therefore not know what the basis of the reduction was.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Ms Davies, from Which?, says a lack of transparency is a key indicator that the company doesn&#8217;t have a wholly positive environmental impact. &#8220;If you&#8217;re struggling to find environmental information about a product, brand or service, take that as a warning sign.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;Companies that have something to hide &#8211; or no good stories to tell &#8211; often make it harder for consumers to check out their eco credentials,&#8221; she adds.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-1nmw0uu-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">7. Is the product and its packaging recyclable?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The &#8220;recyclable&#8221; label on some plastic items can be used for products that are not easy to recycle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In 2018, McDonald&#8217;s announced it was going to get rid of single-use plastic straws in its restaurants, and offer paper straws instead. But the following year, it was accused of greenwashing when it was revealed the straws weren&#8217;t actually recyclable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In 2019, the ASA said Ancol Pet Products was misleading customers by advertising dog waste bags as biodegradable after it was found that they would not biodegrade in their most likely destination of landfill or incineration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18mjolk-ComponentWrapper e1xue1i89\" data-component=\"image-block\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-wpgbih-StyledFigure e34k3c23\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most of us are trying to be greener and for some that means seeking out brands and companies that are environmentally-friendly. But how can you check firms really are as green as they make out?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions\/124"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dev-econyq.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}