Green claims, green washing and consumer protection in the European Union

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer some reflection on the importance of reliable green claims to encourage sustainable production. The role of market is fundamental. Businesses and consumers are both involved in achieving environmental protection objectives. There is the real risk of the phenomenon of so-called green washing or misleading marketing. The problem arises of verifying the reliability of green claims to prevent competitive elements from become distorting factors of competition. Design/methodology/approach Based on the analysis of a European programme, the author shows how in Italy there is a dangerous lack of consumer protection. For this reason the European and national authorities have provided that green claims must be true, reliable, verifiable and comparable, but it is necessary that consumers be protected, through a certification system that makes it possible to certify the veracity of green claims. The problem is that a number of certification systems have been adopted in Europe which undermine the competitiveness of the market for green products. Findings This work aims to identify the tools necessary to make green indications more reliable, but above all to create a common methodology on which to base them. In this direction, companies wishing to advertise the ecological characteristics of their products should be required to provide the supporting demonstrations on the basis of a standard methodology assessing their actual environmental impact. Originality/value This work will examine the problem of green washing and the importance of reliable green claims for environmental protection. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the original work of the author and has not been submitted elsewhere for publication.

Does source credibility matter in promoting sustainable consumption? Developing an integrated model

“…However, marketers are required to advertise and promote their products in compliance with government laws and regulations. Governments in many countries have framed rules and regulations which poses restrictions on advertising (Marcatajo, 2021). These regulations aim to control the negative effect of advertising (Gao, 2007).…”

“…Despite the governments’ efforts to control and regulate misleading and deceiving advertisements, these regulations have not been fully effective in curbing the problem of greenwashing (Marcatajo, 2021). Developing countries either do not have stringent regulations, or they have outdated laws which are inefficient in dealing with the problem (Girimaji, 2013).…”

Communicating Sustainability Fashion in Marketing Advertisements on the Context of Malaysia: Stimuli Development and Pre-Testing Results

“…A specific information structure can provide customers with knowledge of the product function, reasons for using the product, and ultimately, reasons to engage in green consumption (Beatson et al, 2020;Elareshi et al,2021;Marcatajo, 2021). To mould consumer preferences, a corporation should continue to highlight both aesthetic appeal and traditional product features, such as price, quality, convenience, and availability, rather than showcasing excessive sustainable attributes (Fuchs et al, 2013;Amatulli et al, 2017;Lee et al, 2020).…”

“…This investigation demonstrates the importance of being able to communicate and grasp the product or activity component that yields the benefits advertised. It is critical to communicate and publicise corporate environmental investments clearly and transparently to protect consumers from false messaging (Marcatajo, 2021).…”

Sustainable food choices as an impression management strategy

“…Second, people who consume sustainable foods are seen as more cooperative, although their behavior is not more cooperative than the behavior of people who do not engage in such consumption [32,34**,35]. Thus, it is possible that some people strategically use green consumption as a way to camouflage their other noncooperative practices, thus mimicking the "green washing" strategies that some companies unethically engage in [49]. Further studies, preferably those that examine human behavior longitudinally, should test this possibility.…”