We all know that it is important to care about the environment. For that reason, people make big changes in their lives and consumption habits. That is why it is crucial for brands to care if they want to have a good image. But with everything else, there is such a thing as too much or too far.
Saving the planet is no easy feat, and it will take effort from all of us.
When restaurants made the move over to paper straws — for example — we didn't like it, but we accepted it.
Many brands and companies find ways to do their part for this big green and blue ball we are all floating on.
We love and appreciate it, so we are all more inclined to support those brands, which ultimately encourages more brands to get in on the eco-friendly action.
But some brands can take things a little too far…
Take notes, people, because media update's Alrika Möller is unmasking the dangers of greenwashing.
What is greenwashing?
Before we can get into the scary consequences of greenwashing, we need to get the basics of what it is down pat.
Greenwashing is when a company or brand makes misleading statements about environmental benefits. It can be the benefits of one of their products, their services or even their practices.
Basically, when a car company mentions that their car has "fewer carbon emissions", when in fact the car has an insane amount of carbon emissions, it is called greenwashing.
Brands are aware that consumers care about the environmental impact of the products and services they purchase. With that being said, it is sometimes easier — and a lot cheaper — to say you are going green without doing anything.
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What are the dangers of greenwashing?
One of the first things you learn as a child is that actions have consequences. Every once in a while, a business or brand forgets that lesson, and PRs are left with the job of fixing the situation.
Some of the dangers of greenwashing include:
Negative customer experience
The customer experience is something that all brands and businesses strive to perfect.
A good customer experience will mean that customers will keep coming back. When customers keep coming back, they become loyal to the brand. Loyal customers mean a constant stream of income.
But when customers have a negative experience due to the fact that a product is not as green as they claimed, it will negatively affect the brand.
Think about it this way: When you have a good experience at a restaurant, you go home with a smile and maybe tell one or two people. When you have a bad experience at a restaurant, you will tell everyone and might even leave a review.
When a consumer supports a brand because of their eco-friendly claims, the experience will be tarnished the moment they realise the claim was a lie.
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Reputational damage
In today's world, a brand is only as strong as its reputation. People are much more conscious about the brands they support and the reputation of that brand than in the past.
You don't have to scroll too far on social media to find people calling for a boycott of some brand or product — not to mention cancel culture!
When a brand gets caught slathering green paint over a not-so-eco-friendly situation, the public will not let it slide. Their reputation will not necessarily make it out intact, ultimately leading to income loss.
And just to be clear … They always get caught. We live in the age of information, where people can find and spread any information they so choose by just clicking "post".
Nothing stays hidden for too long.
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Legal ramifications
Contrary to popular belief, it is a lot easier to get a brand's claims investigated by the proper authorities. The moment the investigations have anything resembling evidence, a brand is at risk for legal action against them.
Brands have been sued over greenwashing or misleading claims for years. While some may settle things quietly behind closed doors, others can end in a saga of public court cases. There is also the not-so-slim chance of fines from government entities or the loss of a license or two.
These situations can be solved in many ways, but none of them are particularly fun for the brand or the PR team trying to save a dwindling reputation.
The dangers of greenwashing are serious and endless — and the risk? Absolutely not worth it!
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*Image courtesy of Canva