Organic. Clean. Hemp. Vegan. Green.
What does it mean for a product to be sustainable and environmentally friendly?
Does ‘going green’ equate to meaningful change, stemming from a desire to create an ethical brand? Or is it a marketing ploy to increase sales? Does it even matter?
What is greenwashing?
In the 1980s, environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined the term ‘greenwashing’ to describe how companies mislead consumers by providing false information about the environmental sustainability of their products and services. This is achieved through the use of eco-conscious buzzwords, manipulating potential consumers into opting for a more ‘environmentally friendly’ product. These buzzwords, such as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’, do not have to undergo regulation before use in advertising and promotion. In Australia (and America) it is not a mandatory requirement for organic products to be certified when sold domestically. Organisations can be certified by an organic labelling body, but this is optional.
In 2018, it was reported that 54 percent of Gen Z and 48 percent of Millennial Australians believe that a company’s social and environmental efforts are either ‘important’ or ‘very important’ to consider when making day-to-day purchases, compared to 24 percent of Baby Boomers. This new wave of young, environmentally conscious consumers prioritise investment in companies with values aligned with their own. Globally, 80 per cent of Gen Z and 85 per cent of Millennial consumers believe it is either ‘important’ or ‘very important’ that companies implement environmental programs, reflecting an increase in generational concern about the climate crisis. Leaders in the cosmetic and fashion worlds have followed suit, developing strategies to reduce waste and combat greenhouse gas emissions. In response to concerns about single-use plastic, The L’Oréal group has pledged to make 100 per cent of their products recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, and zero net emissions by 2050. The recent Coronavirus crisis has also led many companies to explore waste-friendly tech solutions that also help their bottom line.
Consumers are increasingly making conscious choices about which products to invest in and companies to support. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are a growing economic force, with a disposable income to invest in ethical products. They want ethical standards to be upheld throughout the supply chain: the ingredients, the manufacturing process, and the packaging and promotion. With preservatives such as BHA and BHT linked to health and environmental concerns, businesses that fail to cater to this new wave of consumers will be unable to retain or increase their sales figures. In turn, with relatively new motivations in purchasing trends, Gen Z and Millennial consumers could alternatively invest their money in the ‘clean beauty’ industry.
Is natural always better?
With so many things to consider — such as whether a product is organic, vegan, cruelty free, environmentally friendly, sustainable, ethical, or produced by an organisation that does not exploit their workers — it can be difficult for consumers to know where to invest their dollar. A product may be vegan but sourced using unsustainable farming techniques; it may be natural but cause environmental damage.
Some natural ingredients like lavender and tea tree have been linked to hormone disruption. This means organisations can misrepresent products as ‘safe’ due to their natural ingredients, while containing harmful levels of essential oils. Palm oil is ‘natural’, but mostly sourced via unsustainable farming, resulting in deforestation and the endangerment of orangutans and Sumatran tigers. Australian brands Limedrop and Kester Black came under fire for marketing products as palm oil-free when they contained an ingredient derived from palm oil. The miniscule amount meant it did not need to be declared as an ingredient itself, but the company was criticised for misleading consumers. While a number of synthetic cosmetic ingredients have come under scrutiny for their environmental impacts, this is not to say that all synthetic ingredients are the same, nor should we suggest that just because something is natural means it is better for the environment. Ingredients may not be sustainably farmed, manufacturing processes may not be free of underpaid or unsafe labour. Just because a product may be labeled as ‘cruelty free’ does not necessarily mean that the ingredients have been sourced ethically.
What does it mean to be sustainable and organic?
While Australian Consumer Law states that it is illegal for businesses to mislead consumers, there is no clear legal definition of the term ‘sustainable’. The Soil Association, an organic standards body in the UK, seeks to raise awareness about the misuse of unregulated terms such as ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ in the cosmetics industry, and recently partnered with COSMOS to establish global standards. To receive a COSMOS Organic certification, a product needs to contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients and meet other ethical benchmarks. The COSMOS Natural certification can be given to products that aren’t or cannot be organic, but remain naturally sourced. A recent big-brand success is the launch of Garnier’s Organics range, a COSMOS Certified range that promotes their use of a vegan formula, recycled packaging, renewable resources, and organic production.
Consumer dilemmas
A product that is sold in recyclable packaging isn’t automatically a cruelty-free, organic, or ethically sourced product. So is promoting the recyclability of an otherwise problematic product greenwashing? Should consumers invest in businesses who make efforts to be sustainable but whose parent companies are unethical? Should consumers purchase from sustainable businesses that outsource animal testing in order to sell in China? Is there truly an ethical consumption option under modern capitalist society?
Not every buyer can research the supply chain of a business, so we tend to take ethical declarations at face value. Misleading ‘green’ imagery (such as organic or recyclable packaging, unofficial cruelty free or vegan certifications) can convince consumers that they are making an ethical purchase when they are not. It is encouraging that businesses are recognising that going green sells.Hopefully, emulating the practices of ethical organisations will lead major brands to invest in their own sustainability initiatives. Consumers that continue to hold brands and companies to a higher ethical standard are driving change, however slow.
Maddison Moore is a freelance writer and editor currently studying a Master of Publishing and Communications. She is passionate about social justice, body positivity, and mental health awareness.