Regulators are finally cracking down on advertisers making false green claims, in a series of moves dubbed the end of the "greenwashing era".
These claims — from the vague ("all natural") to the hard-to-verify and seemingly omnipresent ("carbon neutral")—often mislead increasingly climate-conscious consumers.
The desire for more environmentally friendly goods is growing rapidly, with nearly 90% of Gen X consumers willing to spend more on sustainable products, compared to 34% in 2020.
And at the same time, the circular economy — an economic model that designs out waste, cuts material use and keeps materials in the loop for as long as possible — is becoming increasingly mainstream.
This begs the question: as greenwashing is kicked to the kerb, does this allow space for its more insidious cousin — circular washing — to creep in?
Keen to profit from consumers’ changing ethos, brands are adding circular claims to their arsenals.
These can be even more harmful: what’s branded as "circular" isn’t always good for the environment, especially if it features an over-reliance on recycling rather than substantial cuts in material use.
Advertisers can tend to focus on a single aspect of their product or service, but a holistic approach to circularity is most effective: claims that a product contains recycled materials, for example, may not show the whole picture, drawing attention away from other not-so-circular features.
...
A recent investigation by the BBC has brought an uncomfortable issue into the open. Its undercover report, released on 16 April, alleges that some unregulated immigration advisers are encouraging ...