Greenwashing: How to Spot Fake Eco Claims
Greenwashing is when a company spends more on looking eco-friendly than on actually being eco-friendly, and it is everywhere.
Learning to spot the tricks takes five minutes and stops you from paying a premium for products that are no greener than the rest.
Red flags
- Vague words like green, natural and eco with no proof
- Leafy packaging on a plastic-heavy product
- One eco feature used to hide a dozen bad ones
- No third-party certification to back the claim
What to trust
- Real certifications like BPI, GOTS and Energy Star
- Specific claims with measurable numbers
- Brands that share their full supply chain
- Independent reviews and test results
If the whole story is in the logo and the packaging, and nowhere in the actual product, that is your answer.
The questions that expose it
Three quick questions cut through most greenwashing, and they work on everything from cleaners to clothing.
- What exactly is eco about this product
- Who verified the claim
- What is the company not telling me
Ask the right questions and greenwashing falls apart fast, leaving you to spend your money where it actually helps.