A huge “Greenwashing machine” is popping up in London this Black Friday, to remind people of how heavily some brands engage in deceptive advertising when it comes to eco claims.
Canopey, the home of buying better, is launching the Greenwash 3000 Washing Machine at Greenwich Park in London ahead of the biggest sales day of the year (Friday 24 November 2023).
The interactive washing machine encourages shoppers to ensure they examine any green claims made by companies very closely before buying.
Surrounded by wash baskets brimming with dirty clothing that are labelled after the worst culprits for eco claims, any clothing put inside miraculously comes out “green”.
It comes after a new study by Canopey found the majority of Londoners (69%)* feel angry brands and retailers’ green claims could be intentionally misleading them into making a purchase.
The study also shows London-based Baby Boomers (aged over 55) are the most savvy to potential greenwashing with less than half (47%) saying they trust businesses on their eco credentials. In contrast, 67% of people aged 18 to 24 in the city do tend to trust businesses’ green claims.
Despite being the least aware about greenwashing, the study shows people from the Gen Z age group are potentially more likely to fall victim to it.
Those aged 18 to 24 are the most likely age group to say they consider sustainability when purchasing anything with a huge 85% of young people in the city saying this. On the flip side, London Baby Boomers are the least likely to say this with only two in five (42%) considering sustainability.
Canopey, which carried out the research, is the home for buying better, it’s the only platform to completely streamline the sustainable shopping journey using trustworthy, verified products, and accurate ways to track your impact over time.
Thomas Panton, CEO of Canopey, said: “Fast fashion fraudsters and dodgy high street retailers are trying to capitalise on sustainability ethics and mislead with bogus green claims.
“It’s time to fight back and raise awareness of how they’re using the Greenwashing Machine to clean their dirty laundry and create a good ‘green’ appearance – even if underneath the story’s very different.
“Shoppers should be able to shop their values without worrying about the spin, but as it stands it’s way too hard to trust these untrue claims.”
Thomas has the following tips for spotting greenwashing this Black Friday:
Spot vague language – Watch out for vague language without any specifics. ‘Vegan Friendly’ may not actually be vegan, and ‘Better Cotton’ may not mean it’s organic. Check a brand’s website for their Sustainability policy and look for certifications like B Corp or Cradle to Cradle.
Choose quality, made-to-last items – Clothes and objects that are made to be treasured and last a lifetime work out much better value over time. They also tend to be made using better materials, and by workers paid a living wage (but do check these things specifically too).
Buy to refill and reuse – Choosing reusable items like cups, water bottles and cutlery can drastically reduce the amount of single use waste we create, so consider how your shopping basket could lead to positive impacts over time, rather than just today.
By making small swaps, shoppers can vastly reduce the impact of their lifestyle and track this through their Canopey account. Choosing a reusable water bottle can prevent the use of 1,460 plastic bottles, amounting to savings of more than 40kg plastic, and buying more ethically sourced and manufactured clothing like a t-shirt can cut down on nearly 1,000 litres of water waste.
Canopey is offering a site-wide discount of 15% from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, to help shoppers support better brands ahead of Christmas. There are additional discounts available on products including Wild natural deodorants, Pitod organic clothing, Beauty Kin soap and shower gel, and even ethical bedding by Kuroa.
