Eco cleaning products are greenwashing customers, Which? warns

Household brands selling "eco" products may need to rethink their marketing strategies following a study from Which? magazine highlighting how easy it is to "greenwash" customers with exaggerated environmental claims.

A study released by consumer rights magazine earlier today accused a number of household names including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ecover of failing to adequately substantiate the claims made on green product labels.

The report also criticised independent accreditation schemes, such as the European Union's Ecolabel initiative, arguing that even products that had been awarded accreditation still struggled to back up their environmental claims with convincing evidence.

The study examined 14 cleaning products and concluded that almost half of the "eco" laundry tablets, toilet cleaners and nappies analysed made claims that the companies could not support with adequate evidence.

In particular, the study found that each of the eco toilet cleaners it scrutinised from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ecover and Green Force made at least one green claim that was not backed up by evidence from the manufacturer.

For example, Which? experts said Sainsbury's provided no convincing evidence to show that its Cleanhome toilet cleaner had a different impact on aquatic life than other products on the market. Sainsbury's defended its labelling, arguing that the product is verified by the European Union Ecolabel, which offers independent assurance of a product's environmental credentials.

Similarly, the Which? report said that its scientists had " reservations" about Ecover's claims its products biodegrade rapidly and as such have less of an impact on aquatic life than conventional cleaning products.

The company defended its products claiming they are "fully degradable in anaerobic and aerobic conditions, going further than legislation and differentiating Ecover from market leaders". The company has a record of highlighting the environmental benefits of its products, and last year boycotted the Ecolabel scheme over concerns that the criteria for carrying the label are not demanding enough and that products displaying the label are not being adequately policed.

Tesco, meanwhile, confirmed it has changed the labelling of its "Naturally…" brand toilet cleaner, after the Which? report criticised the supermarket for claiming the product was unique in containing no phosphates, even though large numbers of toilet cleaners do not contain phosphates.

Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, Giles Gibbons, founder of consultancy Good Business, said it was unfair to accuse the companies involved of deliberately "greenwashing" customers.

"This accusation of greenwashing is not true," he said. "These companies are looking at ways to reduce the environmental impact of products and showing customers they are doing that. They are not trying to hide behind doing nothing. "

However, he warned that consumer brands should avoid relying on one of " hundreds of generic labels" to validate their environmental credentials.

"The obvious answer is to introduce a single standard across the board, but in reality that's never going to happen," he said. "Firms should focus more on explaining exactly what's different about their brand. Don't rely on others to tell your customers that you have done things right. Just tell them straight then let the customers make up their own mind."