Consumer Beware: Greenwashing in the Age of Deception
Consumer Savvy
by Brooke Delp '20
I stood at the endcap of the shampoo section in Ulta, spellbound by the soft LED lights illuminating the display for Seed Phytonutrients' Daily Hair Cleanser, Ultra Rich Facial Cream, and Lightweight Conditioner! The packaging, touted as “sustainable,” seemed industrial: aluminum tubes, earthy brown paper, amber glass bottles straight out of an 18th century apothecary. The small plexiglass case in which the products were displayed prevented me from inspecting the packages close up, so I went to my trusty phone for more info. “Who owns Seed Phytonutrients?”
And there it was, L’Oréal.
In defense of Seed, they are promoted as an independent venture funded by L’Oréal - a “startup within a big company.” And what small venture wouldn’t jump at the chance to be funded by a company as huge as L’Oréal? With a revenue of over $32 billion in 2019, and as THE LARGEST COSMETICS COMPANY IN THE WORLD, it’s a no-brainer.
Seed, the brainchild of Shane Wolf, International Brand General Manager at L’Oréal, does put the money where the mouth is, advertising a number of exemplary qualities in their product line. They use compostable paper, are vegan, paraben, sulfate and gluten free, and they don’t test on animals. Unfortunately, buzz words like “sustainable” and “compostable” sound a lot like greenwashing.
What is Greenwashing?
In a recent article, Investopedia.com describes it as, “convey[ing] a false impression that a company or its products are environmentally sound.” Claims of being better for the environment may be partially true, but in most cases a company will simply exaggerate its ethics. And getting to the truth is a tricky business. When a multi-billion dollar company spends a fortune marketing themselves as “green” or “ethical,” the consumer is forced to dig deep to determine the veracity of those claims. Just look at the oil giant Chevron. In the 80s, right around the time the term greeenwashing originated, Chevron put out an expensive ad campaign about their dedication to the environment, all while violating the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act - and dumping oil into wildlife refuges.
Don’t be Fooled.
With all the misinformation and false advertising, what are some ways you can determine whether your favorite products align with your personal ethics?
Do your research: Typically, a simple Google search will yield a good amount of information.
Don’t fall for the hype: If packaging screams that it’s good for the environment or cruelty-free, do a little detective work. Some easy to spot examples are packages featuring plants, animals and happy babies, or just an overall green-ness.
Find a trustworthy app or website: I like com and thinkdirtyapp. Find a quick and easy resource and, when in doubt, use it.
Dig deep: A brand which promotes as cruelty-free may, themselves, not participate in animal testing. They may be certified by PETA (they have multiple certification programs), Choose Cruelty Free, Leaping Bunny or all three. But, if you dig deeper, you might find that the parent company is anything but cruelty-free. Leaping Bunny has a distinction on their site which denotes a “cruelty-free subsidiary of a company that isn’t compliant.” Along those lines:
Always look for the parent company: Cruelty Free Kitty has a great article titled "Who Owns What?" in which there is an organized break-down of who owns that green, cruelty-free company you love. Does the parent company test on animals? Are they using unsustainable palm oil? Do they sell in China? Makeup must be tested on lab animals to be approved for sale in the Chinese Market. China does seem to be embracing the green trend but you should take that with a grain of salt and support brands on a case by case basis.
So, there I stood, in Ulta, wanting so much to support Seed Phytonutrients. I want to contribute to the growth (pun intended) of a company with a mission statement like theirs. I wanted my bath products to be made of shower-friendly, post-consumer recycled paper. But the L’Oréal connection got me. I couldn’t do it. After internet searches, barcode scanning and review reading for only ninety short minutes, I shelled out a small fortune for another brand of shampoo and hair conditioner ($29/8 oz. each.) I put them in my canvas shopping bag, flung their single-use plastic containers into my car and accepted that, short of witnessing the entire manufacturing process, I will never really know what I’m buying.
But I can try.