Here’s the lie: Green Business Lie #18: We can market this “green” thing any way we want to, pard’ner! It’s like the Wild West!
Here’s the truth — excerpted from The Truth About Green Business:
TRUTH 18: Green Marketing Claims
A good, clear, green claim should be specific, truthful, verifiable, and meaningful.
Some companies have overstated their green claims and have suffered in the market. Consumer watchdog groups and environmental NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) are on the lookout for misleading or even weak green claims. NGOs often have market muscle – sales of bottled water dropped dramatically when NGOs reported that companies touting the clean and healthy attributes of their water were ignoring climate issues, packaging safety, and waste production….
Know the different types of green claims and where to find them. Know how to recognize and avoid “greenwash.” Greenwashing is the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service – even with the best of intentions. The marketing firm Terrachoice published a report called “The 6 Sins of Greenwashing” based on its analysis of green claims; in order of observed frequency, they are…
Read more in The Truth About Green Business by Gil Friend, from Financial Times Press. Order your copy today! (And come back tomorrow for another Green Business Lie.)