Greenwashing: vender lo que no es

Greenwashing: vender lo que no es

The article argues that sustainability has been transformed into a marketing strategy focused more on appearance than on reality. This inversion of values, where appearing responsible matters more than actually being so, has normalized greenwashing. Companies prioritize building a positive narrative to attract demanding consumers, using sustainability as a communication tool rather than as a genuine ethical commitment. Practices such as the use of ambiguous language, misleading visual symbols, and the selective presentation of verifiable data allow brands to associate themselves with ecological values without altering their core operations. This manipulation not only involves structural fraud, as demonstrated by historical scandals, but also creates an environment where the lack of clear standards enables companies to distort the truth. The result is a market distortion that rewards superior communication over actual environmental performance. The relevance of this text to greenwashing lies in its warning about the erosive effect on public trust. When deception becomes widespread, consumers grow distrustful of all environmental claims, indirectly penalizing companies that operate with transparency. Therefore, greenwashing is not merely an individual ethical issue, but a systemic failure that slows the transition toward sustainability, as the current structure incentivizes performativity over concrete action.