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3 Brands Accused of Greenwashing in Western Europe

Young Europeans are increasingly on the lookout for brands that make false claims about their impact on the environment. These are three examples of brands in Western Europe that have been accused of greenwashing recently…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Nov 8 2022
Western Europe

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Young consumers in Western Europe expect brands to be allies in the fight against climate change
But they do not hesitate to report brands that are making environmental claims that may be false
Brands in the retail industry are most at risk of being called out, but any brand can be

Gen Z and Millennials in Western Europe think the fight against climate change is a collective effort, not an individual one. They rely on brands, politicians, and celebs, to take the environment seriously, and help to take action. But any brand wanting to showcase its efforts in the fight against climate change needs to be cautious not to make claims about their eco-actions that are inaccurate, or it might be accused of greenwashing. Young people are indeed increasingly on the lookout for brands that are misleading the public with false claims about their green efforts, and will not hesitate to formally complain about these brands—being truly a generation of activists. Governments and watchdog agencies in Europe are also getting stricter with companies’ environmental claims. A study by the European Commission found that 42% of green claims by brands are likely to be “exaggerated, false or deceptive.” And data from YPulse’s recent Cause Conundrum Trend Report shows that 53% of young Europeans say most brands are greenwashing. There have been...