Are 'sustainable' products as green as they claim to be?

‘Climate-friendly meat.’

‘Sustainably sourced.’

‘Made from recycled plastic.’

These are labels we see on our products often. But what do these claims actually mean?

Are eco-friendly products truly what they appear to be? Or are marketers merely using buzzwords to sell to the conscious consumer?

I ask myself these questions all the time. And with the vast array of ‘eco-products’ we have to choose from these days, it may be a good thing to query.

Because it turns out, regulators have been wondering the same things.

The concept of being plastic and sustainable has always felt a little like a dichotomy. Any human that lives on Planet Earth knows that plastic is destructive and is one of the world’s most prevalent polluters.

However, that hasn’t stopped the plastic CamelBak bottle from becoming one of the top picks in the ‘emotional support water bottle craze.’

This may be, in part, due to the fact that CamelBak offers a promise to the ecologically conscious buyer. On the front of each bottle is a bright blue sticker with the words, 'Tritan Renew made with 50% recycled material.'

But in reality, the amount of recycled plastic used may be nowhere close.

According to the NYT, the durable plastic called Titan Renew was introduced by a company called Eastman Chemical four years ago. The manufacturers claimed it contained 50% recycled plastic.

So the material became instantly popular with brands like CamelBak, Ferragamo, Stanley, and Black & Decker. Each of these brands now use Titan Renew for an array of different products, from water bottles to power tools.

However, there’s no guarantee that any of these products actually contain recycled plastic at all.

'It could be a very low percentage that is physically in there; it could be a high percentage,' said C. Jason Pierce, a senior technical leader for the Circular Economy and Life Cycle Assessment at Eastman Chemical. When asked about the amount of recycled plastic in Tritan Renew, he responded with, 'You can’t know how much.'

That’s because Titan Renew uses a green certification called 'mass balance.'

This is a system used to certify products that contain a mix of renewable and non-renewable materials. Basically, it allows companies to claim a portion of their output as 'green,' even if the final product contains a mix of both types of materials.

All major international sustainability initiatives use mass balance in one form or another. But this practice comes with major questions about the lack of transparency and misleading nature of the claim.

These marketing claims reflect how brands are trying to meet consumer demands. In the United States, sales of consumer products labelled 'green' or 'sustainable' are growing twice as fast as those that are not.

We see similar green-washed messaging in the meat and poultry industry.

So much so, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has taken notice. The department recently published an update to its industry guidelines. The update strongly advises meat and poultry purveyors to back up the environmental buzzwords they so often use.

They also want to see them verified through independent third parties. In other words, they’re not f***ing around.

The agency said third-party verification 'helps ensure that such claims are truthful and not misleading.' This push follows growing concern by environmental advocates and consumer protection groups about how common greenwashing has become. It also reflects growing scrutiny around product labelling aimed at eco-conscious consumers.

Both of these examples serve as a reminder that not all green labels are created equal.

Consumers have the power to steer the marketing of products. As they’ve shown what they want to buy, marketers have bent the truth. And now, they're using misleading messaging to cater to our demands.

This also means we have the power to demand more transparency and accountability from the brands we support and even partner with.

In a market flooded with buzzwords, informed choices drive real change. Know what you’re purchasing. The difference is in the details.

As marketers, we have a responsibility to be transparent.

We're in an age where consumers are more eco-conscious and informed than ever. Misleading claims will be the death of your brand.

Embrace honesty in your messaging. After all, trust is the most sustainable asset your brand could possibly cultivate.

-Sophie, Writer