Since the green movement has taken hold, more and more products are claiming to be green. By simply putting “natural″ or “organic″ on the label companies are using these terms to get a marketing edge but might not be telling the whole truth about their products. This phenomenon spawned a report about the new wave of greenwashing.
Greenwashing is defined as “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service″. This definition was coined by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, who released their Seven Sins of Greenwashing Report.
The report found that 98% of products surveyed in the United Kingdom (UK) committed at least one of the greenwashing sins. Included in those products were toys, cosmetics, and baby products. For example, the term “natural″ was found on products from baby care items to beauty products yet if unexplained or undefined; “natural″ can mean different things to different people.
Greenwashing is rapidly changing in so many ways that TerraChoice had to increase the ‘Sins’ from six to seven just since 2007 to include companies that are now mimicking environmental certifications on their products to attract consumers. TerraChoice, a global environmental marketing firm helping grow sustainable companies, ran their study from November 2008 through January 2009.
Because baby products, children’s products, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies are the most susceptible to greenwashing; these products are the highlight of the 2009 report. In the UK, a total of 1,612 ‘green’ claims were recorded on 787 products. The claims were tested against best practices specifically the International Organization for Standardization standard for environmental labeling. For the full report and a detailed description of the Seven Sins of Greenwashing go to www.sinsofgreenwashing.org.
Tags: greenwashing
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on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 9:57 pm and is filed under Baby Safety.
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