Survey BEUC: Majority of consumers want a ban on greenwashing by fossil companies

Consumers want a tougher approach to greenwashing. Three quarters are in favor of a ban on polluting companies from pretending to be greener. Almost 40% are even in favor of a complete advertising ban for fossil companies. This is evident from a survey among consumers in Europe, Canada, Australia and the US: the Green Maze.

The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) conducted a survey in 16 countries, including the Netherlands. A thousand people were interviewed in each country. More than three-quarters of respondents are concerned about the consequences of climate change. They therefore want to adjust their consumption patterns. Companies are cleverly responding to this with “green claims” such as “100% recyclable”, “CO2 compensated” and Shell's recent campaign “It starts with one wind turbine”. The phenomenon of companies falsely making green claims is called greenwashing.

Companies mislead consumers

Greenwashing works: 40% of consumers think they understand green claims, but further questions revealed that this was not the case. For example, almost three-quarters wrongly believe that “climate neutral” products or services are produced without emitting CO2. Half of all green claims are moderately or not substantiated and for 40% of the claims there is no evidence.

Consumers want measures

Companies that engage in greenwashing undermine general confidence in green claims. This puts companies that do keep their green promises at a disadvantage. Three out of four European consumers believe that highly polluting companies should not use green claims. 38% are even in favor of a complete ban on advertising - not just greenwashing - by fossil companies. According to the BEUC, greenwashing is a fundamental hurdle on the way to more sustainable production and consumption. Consumers therefore want the government to take measures. An overwhelming majority of 80% want high fines for companies guilty of greenwashing.