Understanding Packaging Labelling Regulations: 7 top tips to avoid greenwashing

Greenwashing is a term that has exploded over the last few years and is defined as the act of making unsubstituted or misleading claims in products and packaging design giving the impression that it is more environmentally sustainable than it really is – whether intended or not. In the EU, new packaging labelling regulations specifically to challenge greenwashing is at its final stages of being approved and is expected to come into force soon.  

In January 2023, a large consumer research study by Sensu’s Greenwashing report was conducted in the UK and found that less than a quarter (23%) of the public take ESG claims at face value. In fact, 30% expect the claim to have been exaggerated. This leaves us in a dangerous situation where consumers lack trust in brands and as such, regulations are required to level the playing field and build consumer confidence again.  

So, what can brands do to ensure they’re not falling into the greenwashing trap?  

Here are our top six tips on how to avoid greenwashing when creating your packaging design: 

1. Understand the forms of greenwashing 
The act of greenwashing is growing increasingly more sophisticated. According to non-profit think tank, Planet Tracker, these are defined into six different types Greencrowding: built on the belief that you can hide in a crowd to avoid discovery relying on safety in numbers; Greenshifting: when companies imply that the consumer is at fault and shift the blame onto them. Green labelling; a practice where marketers call something green or sustainable, but a closer examination reveals this to be misleading. Greenlighting: communications that spotlight a green feature which draws attention away from negative areas; Green rinsing: regularly changing ESG targets before they are achieved; and increasingly common, but no less damaging, Greenhushing: holding back information to avoid scrutiny altogether.   

2. Check claims
Familiarise yourself with the rules of greenwashing by checking the claims you intend on making on your packaging design against the Green Claims Code. It provides simple checks against six-step criteria to ensure you make the most of green claims without falling foul of packaging labelling regulations.

3. Mindset shift
Change the approach from thinking about the general claim you can make about your product or packaging, to how the change actually helps the consumer. It’s a subtle shift that is more likely to engage customers and reduce the likelihood of greenwashing.  

4. On-Pack Messaging

Communicate the message as a ‘story’. For example, applying past identity salience – what a material was in its previous life – is far more powerful than simply saying something was ‘recycled’. It pulls the consumer into the story of that product and drives engagement.  Communicating on-pack messaging correctly can be achieved by working closely with your packaging manufacturer to learn the full lifecycle of the packaging product. Read in our case study with musicMagpie how we worked together with the brand to communicate the environmental credentials of their packaging products within their packaging design and increased understanding and brand awareness, more here.