Greenwashing

Greenwashing is a marketing strategy in which companies present themselves as more environmentally friendly than they really are. The aim: to win environmentally conscious customers without really acting sustainably.

Typical greenwashing tricks:

• "Climate neutral" – often only through cheap CO2 certificates, not through real reductions
• "Sustainable collection" – 5% of products, 95% stays the same
• Green packaging – looks eco, but is ordinary plastic
• Vague terms: "close to nature", "conscious", "responsible"

How to spot greenwashing: ask for concrete figures and certifications. Reputable labels: Blauer Engel (Blue Angel), EU Ecolabel, Fair Trade, B Corp.