Greenwashing

Greenwashing

Greenwashing refers to a marketing tactic where companies present themselves as environmentally friendly or sustainable, while in reality, they make little or no effort to reduce their harmful impact on the environment. It is a form of misleading advertising, aiming to make consumers believe that the company is seriously committed to sustainability, while this is not the case in practice.

Example:

A large cosmetics company launches a new line of "natural" skincare products. They advertise with beautiful images of flowers, plants, and natural ingredients. The packaging is designed in earthy tones, and they claim that their products are environmentally friendly and free of harmful chemicals.

However, upon closer inspection, research reveals that only a few of the ingredients used are actually natural, while the rest still contain potentially harmful chemicals. Additionally, the packaging is made of plastic that is not easily recyclable.

The cosmetics company is engaging in greenwashing because they promote their product line as "natural" and environmentally friendly, while this is not entirely true.