¿Cuán ecológico es ese producto? Conozca cuatro maneras de detectar el "greenwashing" | Diario Financiero

¿Cuán ecológico es ese producto? Conozca cuatro maneras de detectar el "greenwashing" | Diario Financiero

The European Union is leading efforts to combat greenwashing by identifying and regulating vague and misleading environmental claims. With more than half of the analyzed eco-claims found to be unfounded, the proposed regulation seeks to require verifiable scientific evidence, implying a structural shift in how companies communicate their environmental impact in order to restore consumer trust. The proposed regulation specifically targets the use of terms such as “carbon neutral” or “more eco-friendly,” which often mask reliance on questionable offsets or comparisons lacking a clear basis. By prohibiting unspecific superlatives, the EU mandates that companies disclose both the genuine environmental benefits and harms, preventing them from using marginal or long-standing improvements to disguise current harmful practices. Furthermore, the regulation demands transparency regarding interim targets and material composition, eliminating ambiguity in concepts like “biodegradable” or “compostable.” This measure is crucial because such labels frequently mislead consumers about the true sustainability of products, particularly concerning plastics and bioplastics. By requiring specificity about the origin and conditions of decomposition, the regulation dismantles marketing traps that distract from the real impact of the supply chain. This article is relevant because it demonstrates how greenwashing persists through the strategic use of ambiguous language that confuses consumers. The EU’s legislative response sets a global precedent in which clarity and scientific verifiability replace vague marketing, forcing corporations to align their communications with their actual actions rather than merely favorable perceptions.

Source: df.cl
Published on 2023-01-19