At a time when sustainability and climate protection play an increasingly important role for many consumers in purchasing decisions, many companies are trying to position themselves as “green”. This is achieved through targeted communication and marketing measures. For example, they suggest that companies act sustainably and that their products are manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. However, there is often a large gap between these messages and reality. In this case we talk about “greenwashing”. Companies give themselves a coat of green paint to ensure market advantages.
In Austria, around half of the 500 largest companies work with greenwashing strategies. This is what a study by the market and opinion research institute Marktagent shows. To this end, 570 marketing decision-makers were questioned about their assessments. A good quarter of participants said they had been involved in greenwashing campaigns in the past. The main reasons for this are mainly image cultivation and trying to increase customers’ willingness to pay. Other reasons include gaining trust, increasing sales or gaining competitive advantages.
Fashion, energy and food: “greenwashing” is particularly popular here
However, if a company practices greenwashing, this does not always mean that green measures are not generally implemented in the company. According to the communication experts surveyed, the exaggerated and unrealistic representation of sustainability in the company would be the most widespread greenwashing tactic. More time and money is often spent on communicating sustainable and environmentally friendly measures than on their actual implementation. Furthermore, small acts for the environment are often portrayed in an exaggerated way.
Marketing expert Rametsteiner: “worrying” study
According to the research, the industries that most frequently deal with greenwashing are the fashion, energy, food and automotive industries. Here, around 70 percent of respondents said they suspected or strongly perceived greenwashing. Given these findings, marketing professor Harald Rametsteiner, who was presented with the results of the study, emphasizes the importance of honest communication. “The high assessment of ‘greenwashing’ in the industry by experts is worrying. The study should be an opportunity for more honesty in communication”, says the professor, who works at the University of Applied Sciences in St. Pölten.
Almost half of the marketing experts surveyed assume that the greenwashing discovered will soon be forgotten.
Photo: market agent
Misleading messages are difficult to understand, even for experts
Due to the numerous misleading promises and messages in the “green” communication of many companies, it is becoming increasingly clear to consumers which products and companies are truly sustainable. Even experts aren’t sure here. In this case, only three in ten people interviewed said that they themselves noticed greenwashing. They are also of the opinion that honest measures regarding the environment and climate protection are no longer taken seriously due to greenwashing.
If a fraudulent case is discovered, the damage is usually minimal. Only a quarter of respondents think that greenwashing could become a lasting problem for the company’s image. 88 percent of respondents would like to see legal consequences for supposedly green measures. “This illustrates how difficult it is, in practice, for companies to escape the vicious circle of whitewashing and implement a solid sustainability strategy,” says market agents managing director Thomas Schwabl. After all, according to the research results, green marketing is particularly important for the long-term success of companies.