Consumers deserve to know how ‘eco-friendly’ their products and services actually are

It’s time to clamp down on those who use greenwashing to sell their brands, writes Emma Henderson

Good for the environment or simply a marketing tool?  (Getty/iStockphoto)

Earlier this week, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced it would launch an investigation into the descriptions and labels brands use to promote their products and services which claim to be eco-friendly, and whether they could actually be misleading consumers.

It’s a welcome investigation. Since consumers are becoming more aware of the damage industries like fashion do to the planet, many brands have jumped on the bandwagon in fear of falling behind and losing customers. But this is only leading to one thing: greenwashing.

By that, I mean that some companies spend more time shouting about their so-called eco credentials then actually doing anything positive to reduce the impact they have, such as their carbon footprint.