Don’t spin the greenwash

• Looks at extent and impact of greenwashing by companies, reputational damage where they’re caught out and potential regulatory action.

Sustainability and environmentalism are featuring at the core of brands’ identities with increasing prevalence. With environmentally conscious consumers demanding greener products, brands have been under more pressure than ever to publicise their environmental credentials. This pressure looks set to increase with research by data analytics company Kantar in September 2020 ‘Who cares? Who does?’ suggesting sustainability has become a bigger concern for consumers since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

All talk no action?

Hand in hand with this consumer pressure, comes a temptation to exaggerate green credentials, to which some brands appear to be bowing. It is not new for bold, current and memorable marketing to be used to attract consumers to particular products and services but when the headlines include net-zero targets and claims of ‘plastic free’ and ‘recycled materials only’, to what