How to spot greenwashing in the wild

Greenwashing is everywhere.

It’s when a company makes itself look more environmentally friendly than it really is. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes just creatively.

The tricky part is that it often sounds convincing.

So how do you spot it without becoming a fulltime detective?

What is greenwashing?

Greenwashing is marketing that exaggerates or misleads about a product’s environmental benefits.

It might be vague, selective, unsupported or just plain misleading

The goal is simple. To make you feel good about buying something.

The most common warning signs

Once you know what to look for, it becomes surprisingly obvious.

1.      vague language

Words like:

• natural
• eco friendly
• green
• sustainable

These sound great. But on their own, they don’t mean much. Ask yourself. What does that actually mean? Is there any proof?

2.      no evidence

If a product claims to be better for the environment, there should be some kind of explanation or certification. No details usually means no substance.

3.      focusing on one good thing

A company might highlight a single positive feature while ignoring bigger issues.

For example:

“Made with recycled packaging”

That is good. But what about the product itself? The supply chain? The emissions?

4.      misleading visuals

Green packaging. Leaves. Earth symbols. Soft colours. None of these mean anything by themselves. They’re just design choices.

5.      irrelevant claims

Statements like “CFC free” on products that never contained CFCs in the first place. Technically true. Completely unhelpful.

 

A quick real world example

Imagine two bottles of cleaning spray.

One says: “100 percent natural. Planet friendly.”

The other has: clear ingredient information, details about sourcing, a recognised certification.

Which one would you trust more? Hopefully the second, though it’s very easy just to grab and run with the first.

 

Why this matters

Greenwashing isn’t just annoying. It slows down real progress. If companies can get away with looking sustainable without actually being sustainable, there’s less incentive to change.

By spotting it and avoiding it, you’re rewarding genuine effort, encouraging better standards and making your choices count.