The phenomenon–
"Greenwashing" is the term that defines the
"washing" — a "green" brushstroke, a rinse of
green paint over a brand. And, beneath that coat of paint, there is
often very little that is sustainable: a single characteristic is
highlighted and deemed sufficient to classify a product as
sustainable, while other, more important aspects are ignored. Or,
alternatively, data and information are provided and presented as
self-certified, without the involvement of an independent third
party to guarantee procedures and accuracy.

Some glaring cases– By
way of example, the oil company Bp, responsible
last summer in the Gulf of Mexico for the
worst environmental disaster in the history of
the United States, had invested 200
million euros just a few months earlier in a greenwashing campaign, changing the
colours of its signage and presenting itself as a socially
responsible, environmentally friendly group.

The market trend– The
demand for ecological products is growing and companies are adapting:
but, while some genuinely rethink their production logic along green
lines, actually changing the substance of things, many others confine themselves to
cosmetic operations that are purely commercial and marketing-driven. And
in doing so, in their attempt to seduce the consumer, they
end up deceiving them. The mere ecological label is, in fact, enough
to lure consumers into the trap: the harm of greenwashing
is therefore twofold — on the one hand, consumers who want products conceived along different lines are misled,
and on the other, entrepreneurs who are genuinely restructuring
their businesses are discouraged.

Countermeasures– Around the world, buyers are now forced to sharpen their
defensive tools, if it is true, as the British
Advertising Standards
Authority (Asa) maintains, that the number of complaints relating to
products' eco-sustainability claims doubles
year on year. And, while waiting for clear rules, the old
remedy still holds: not believing advertising entirely and
seeking information independently through other channels. A major contribution
in this regard is being made by greenwashing watchdogs and experts,
who are multiplying, especially on the internet —
one need only think of the remarkable success of British journalist Fred Pearce's blog:
in his space on the
"The
Guardian" website, the British reporter has assembled a
well-documented catalogue of outrageous "green" tricks against the greenwashing trend.

Certifications– They
do not in themselves constitute a guarantee, since they are often
self-audits. According to recent research carried out by
Gfk Eurisko, 67%
of Italians ask companies for green labels that are "genuine and verified
by third parties". But are consumers willing to shoulder
the cost of this renewal effort? Not at all: only
3% of the sample surveyed by Gfk Eurisko would spend
more for an eco-compatible product — the "green"
label is therefore not, on its own,
an automatic synonym for superior quality.