You may have heard the term ‘greenwashing’ cropping up over the past couple of years. In fact, the term has become so prevalent that it was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2022.
The definition they give for greenwash is “to make (something, such as a product, policy, or practice) appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is”.
Its recent prominence is partly down to a crackdown from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In 2021, the CMA issued an anti-greenwashing code to tackle concerns that consumers were paying more for supposedly ‘eco-friendly’ products, while those companies genuinely investing in environmentally positive solutions weren’t getting the recognition they deserved.
A number of large companies across sectors have been accused of greenwashing in the last couple of years, including Innocent Drinks, Ryanair, H&M and McDonald’s, to name a few.
In January 2023, the CMA also expanded its misleading green claims project to look at Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) — a sign that sustainability scrutiny is certainly on the rise.
While there’s no anti-greenwashing legislation in the UK as yet, the CMA has made it clear that it will investigate businesses — including those within hospitality or foodservice — that are found to be misleading.
The CMA created the Green Claims Code to help businesses review their environmental claims. This code requires businesses to:
1. Be truthful and accurate. Businesses must live up to the claims they make about their products, services, brands and activities.
2. Be clear and unambiguous. The meaning that a consumer is likely to take from a product’s messaging and the credentials of that product should match.
3. Not omit or hide important information. Claims must not prevent someone from making an informed choice because of the information they leave out.
4. Only make fair and meaningful comparisons. Any products compared should meet the same needs or be intended for the same purpose.
5. Consider the full life cycle of the product. When making claims, businesses must consider the total impact of a product or service. Claims can be misleading where they don’t reflect the overall impact, or where they focus on one aspect of it but not another.
6. Be substantiated. Businesses should be able to back up their claims with robust, credible and up-to-date evidence.
What should businesses be mindful of?
The language used to describe products is one area where companies can fall foul of greenwashing. Phrases such as ‘all natural’, ‘green’ and ‘eco’ were highlighted by the CMA as not providing a clear meaning. The Authority also said that shoppers should be wary of any claims that are not easily defined or backed up by adequate evidence.
This is where a comprehensive environmental impact scoring system backed by scientific data, such as Foodprint from Nutritics, can help businesses identify environmentally-friendly products and communicate them clearly with a sustainable score display.
They warn against businesses relying on visuals of wildlife or green colours to overtly suggest environmental benefits. Finally, they recommend both companies and consumers think about the bigger picture of a product, including the packaging and its appropriate disposal, as well as the wider impact of a supply chain when considering the sustainability of an item.
Sustainable initiatives within hospitality
Not only will assessing the impact of your ingredients and recipes allow you to make potential ingredient swaps to minimise the carbon or water usage, it also gives diners the tools to make more informed choices.
There are other schemes that restaurants, cafés and bars can utilise. The @Sustainable Restaurant Association’s ‘Food Made Good’ initiative is the largest global community for driving sustainability in hospitality, allowing restaurants to achieve a Food Made Good sustainability rating. They currently work with over 10,000 kitchens around the world.
In 2021, Michelin unveiled its Green Star rating, recognising restaurants who are leading the game in sustainability. At time of writing, only 31 businesses in the UK have received this coveted accolade, including Wilsons in Bristol and Stockport’s Where The Light Gets In.
While there is no specific formula for being awarded a Michelin Green Star, the inspectors consider the provenance of ingredients, use of seasonal produce, the restaurant’s overall environmental footprint, food waste, recycling and communication of any green claims.
Consumers are demanding more sustainability action from companies, but it’s important that businesses don’t overstate their credentials too soon.
There are plenty of resources to support those within hospitality and foodservice in making credible steps when it comes to environmental issues. If you want to learn more about tracking the carbon impact and water usage of your ingredients, Foodprint from Nutritics is here to help.