How to Spot Greenwashing: 7 Warning Signs
, by Hello Charlie Blogs, 2 min reading time
Greenwashing is not simply a company using the colour green. It is the overall impression created when a claim—or missing information—makes a product or business appear better for the environment than it really is.
Australian Consumer Law requires claims to be truthful and based on reasonable grounds. That gives shoppers a practical test: can the business explain exactly what it means and show current evidence?
Quick answer: be cautious when a claim is broad, unqualified, unsupported, selective, future-focused without a plan, or paired with imagery that implies more than the words say.
Seven warning signs
1. Vague language
Words such as green, eco-friendly, clean, conscious and sustainable can cover almost anything. Look for a measurable statement about materials, emissions, durability or disposal.
2. No accessible evidence
A credible claim should lead to a report, standard, test or methodology. “Scientifically proven” without the study, scope or date is a reason to pause.
3. One small improvement represents the whole product
A recycled bottle does not prove the formula, cap, transport and company are sustainable. The improvement may be real; the problem is exaggerating its scope.
4. Important conditions are hidden
“Recyclable” may require a specialist collection that does not exist locally. “Compostable” may mean an industrial facility, not a home compost. Conditions should appear with the claim, not behind tiny print.
5. Nature imagery does the heavy lifting
Leaves, animals, brown paper and green logos can create an environmental impression even without a factual claim. The ACCC says businesses must consider visual elements and the overall impression.
6. A distant target has no credible pathway
“Net zero by 2050” needs interim targets, a defined emissions boundary, a reduction plan and progress reporting. Offsets should be disclosed rather than presented as direct emissions elimination.
7. A badge looks official but is self-created
Some logos are brand artwork rather than independent certification. Search for the scheme owner, published criteria, audit process, certificate number and current validity.
A five-minute claim check
- Define it: what exact environmental benefit is promised?
- Scope it: does it cover the item, packaging, one ingredient or the whole company?
- Evidence it: is current, relevant proof easy to access?
- Compare it: what baseline or alternative is being used?
- Dispose of it: can the claimed end-of-life pathway actually be used where you live?
Certification helps, but it is not magic
Independent standards can reduce guesswork when their criteria match the issue you care about. Organic certification assesses specified agricultural and processing requirements; an energy label assesses something different. No single badge proves a product is perfect across climate, toxicity, labour, biodiversity and waste.
Greenwashing versus an imperfect improvement
A company can make a genuine improvement without solving every impact. Trust grows when it describes the change precisely, discloses limitations and reports progress. The useful response is not cynicism about every claim; it is asking for the detail needed to compare choices.
Read How Hello Charlie Chooses Products and our Sustainable Packaging policy for the criteria behind our own claims.