Don’t fall for greenwashing: 5 top tips to be sure you’re “gifting green” this Christmas

By Jennifer Stevenson, Communications Manager at Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect’s survey of Christmas giving reveals that more than two-thirds of British gift-buyers aged 18-34 now consider sustainability a significant factor when it comes to choosing presents.

But a third of consumers have no confidence in being able to distinguish genuinely eco-friendly gifts from jump-on-the-bandwagon marketing.

Amongst the most notorious examples:

• H&M’s “Conscious Collection”: widely criticised for claiming to be sustainable while containing only a small percentage of organic cotton or recycled polyester.

• The “Recyclable” Coffee Pods for Keurig’s coffee machine: the brand was sued in the US and faced criticism globally because many recycling facilities cannot process the pods because of their small size and mixed materials.

• IKEA’s bamboo products: labelled as sustainable but an investigation found that some of the bamboo was sourced unsustainably, causing deforestation and ecological harm.

Organisations that are genuinely environmentally sustainable are keen to publicise their credentials because they’ve committed time and money to achieving them. They usually comply with some kind of regulatory standard.

So if you can’t find the detail, it usually means this marketing is misleading greenwash. (By the way, this is Ripple Effect’s commitment to sustainable agriculture Ripple-Effects-position-on-Sustainable-Agriculture.pdf.)

Here’s how to find the good products:

"Natural": Used frequently on products from cosmetics to candles, it’s intended to suggest the ingredients come from nature, but it’s not a regulated description in the UK and many products may still contain synthetic or environmentally harmful ingredients. (Candles made from soy wax or beeswax may still include synthetic fragrances and paraffin wax blends, which release pollutants when burned.)

"Eco-friendly": This term isn’t regulated. It may be used legitimately as a shorthand term by genuinely sustainable producers or organisations, but without supporting details it’s impossible to know if a product genuinely benefits the environment in any meaningful way.

"Sustainable": Widely used in fashion and household goods, but as with “eco-friendly”, if there’s no evidence for carbon-neutral production systems, or any sustainable sourcing certifications, it can be meaningless.

"Green": Suggests environmental friendliness but doesn’t specify how. A popular description for household and cleaning products, but without standards or verified certifications, it's impossible to gauge the product's actual impact.

"Non-toxic" or "Clean": Popular on cosmetics packaging, suggesting they’re free from harmful chemicals. But it can mean different things depending on the brand, and without regulatory oversight, it’s often just a marketing phrase.

It’s described as "biodegradable" or "compostable": some items labeled biodegradable may only decompose under industrial composting conditions, not in a typical landfill or home composting.

It’s described as "zero waste": this implies no waste was produced throughout the product lifecycle. However, in reality, it often only applies to specific product parts. Look for products with minimal or reusable packaging to confirm they’re truly zero waste.

It’s described as "recyclable": often seen on plastic packaging, but many types of plastic (like black plastic trays or soft plastics) aren’t widely accepted in UK recycling programs. To confirm recyclability, look for the widely accepted symbols: read recycling symbols guide.

Producing just one environmentally sustainable product when the rest of the organisation’s work has a damaging effect on the environment is greenwashing.

Primark’s “Sustainable Cotton” collection was widely criticised for not fully disclosing the sourcing or environmental impact of its cotton. Plus, Primark’s fast-fashion business model contradicts claims of sustainability.

At Ripple Effect we don’t require that the farmers we work with only use organic seeds, fertilisers and pest control methods – because as we say in our Sustainable Agriculture Position Statement:

“We help to create choices; it’s not for us to tell local farmers what they should or shouldn’t do.”

But we can tell you in detail about the overwhelmingly beneficial impact of our organisation-wide Agroecological Climate Positive Approach.

For now, its consumer-power rather than government regulation that’s going to make manufacturers change their ways. So, vote with your wallet.

If we continue to buy gifts that clearly don’t live up to their spurious environmentally-friendly image just because “Oh well, they’ve already been made – it’s worse if they go to waste,” the greenwashing will continue.

And when you come across blatant attempts to manipulate your purchasing with misleading marketing, call it out.

If you can take five minutes to tell the retailer, or the manufacturer, WHY you’re not buying this product, it can be amazingly effective. A succinct post on social media, or a short email to customer service, CAN catch attention. Manufacturers want to sell products – not have them sitting on the shelves. And at the end of the day, most of us consumers want a wider range of genuinely environmentally sustainable products to choose from at Christmas.

Best Christmas present to the planet!

If you want to make an impact this Christmas, you can support Ripple Effect's work, a charity that cares for both people and planet.