Beware of falsely “green” labels and advertisements that are proliferating among consumer products and services, the federal Competition Bureau warns in a message released Wednesday.
Posted at 5:09 p.m.
“As more and more Canadians demand products and services with a smaller environmental footprint, some companies have responded by offering a wider range of ‘green’ products. But not all products are as ‘green’ as they appear, the Competition Bureau points out.
“With the increase in the number of ‘green’ products, we are witnessing an upsurge in false, misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims, which is illegal in Canada”, indicates the federal agency, one of whose responsibilities, in addition to the tracking “deceptive marketing practices” is to enforce the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act.
“This practice (of false or misleading environmental claims) is called greenwashing. It appears in many forms, including indications, adjectives, colors and symbols used to create the impression that a product or service is greener than it actually is. »
In support of its warning against greenwashing, the Competition Bureau cites the results of a survey carried out last year by peer authorities in Britain and the Netherlands.
According to this international survey, nearly half (40%) of “green” claims made for consumer products and services that are marketed through the Internet are misleading, confusing and even illegal according to national jurisdictions.
In Canada, the director (commissioner) of the Competition Bureau, Matthew Boswell, notes that “false or misleading representations to promote products that are greener than they actually are cause harm to consumers, who are not in able to make informed purchasing decisions. They also harm competition and companies that actually offer products with less environmental impact. »
In fact, the Competition Bureau’s warning of the risks of consumer promotional greenwashing comes two weeks after it imposed a fine totaling $3.8 million on coffee capsule company Keurig Canada. for “false or misleading environmental claims” about the recyclability of its single-use “Keurig K-Cup” capsules.
“Keurig Canada’s indications give the impression that consumers can prepare the capsules for recycling by removing the lid (Editor’s note: the small film lid) and emptying the coffee grounds”, indicated the Competition Bureau in its infringement notice.
However, even so prepared for recycling, “K-Cup capsules are not widely accepted by municipal recycling programs” because they require “additional steps” to be truly recyclable.
Tips from the Competition Bureau to thwart consumer greenwashing
- All consumer goods and services have an impact on the environment, including those that claim to be “green”.
- Be wary of vague labeling or statements such as “environmentally friendly” or “environmentally safe”.
- Without further explanation, such a statement may lead to misinterpretation or deception.
- Be wary of images of nature such as water, clouds, plants, animals, Earth, as well as the colors used on the packaging and promotion of products and services with “green” claims.
- When you see logos or seals that refer to ecological standards, try to verify that they are trustworthy with the authorities concerned.
Source: Competition Bureau, Government of Canada