Environmental Claims in Consumer Markets Summary Report North America April 2009

TM• ‘Organic’, in various forms, is the second mostcommon claim in this category. It was found on76 baby products and 1 toy. In all cases, these claimswere made in reference to materials from which theproduct was made, usually cotton.In the US and Canada, organic claims were supportedby certification on only 21 of these products.Any claim – organic or otherwise – for which there isno readily accessible evidence commits the Sin of NoProof. More detail on the difficulties with ‘organic’claims is provided in the next section, on cosmetics.• ‘BPA-free’ was claimed by 44 baby products and 5toys. None of these products offered any certificationor verification of the claim and consequently all werefound to commit the Sin of No Proof.A total of 44 products, (36 baby care and 8 toys),used vague environmental statements such as ‘ecofriendly’,‘earth-friendly’, ‘earth-friendlier’, and ‘goodfor the environment’. Without elaboration, these termsare meaningless since they are entirely subjective.These claims all commit the Sin of Vagueness.Cosmetics (Health & Beauty Products)Consumer consciousness of the environmental andhealth effects of personal care products –cosmetics, shampoos, and soaps, for example – hasgrown steadily over several decades. High profile retailpositioning at stores like the Body Shop hascontributed to this trend.The simple fact that we put these products on (or in)our body (products such as toothpaste, shampoos, orlotions) has also contributed to the heightenedconsumer awareness. Most recently, the ingredients ofthese products have begun to attract increased scrutinyby advocates and regulators.It is little surprise, consequently, that this year’s SevenSins of Greenwashing report isolated health andbeauty products as a prominent category for greenclaims and greenwashing.Exhibit 6 summarizes the findings in this category.Some examples of products in this category:- ‘biodegradable’ and ‘organic’ cotton swabs- ‘earth-friendly’ sponges- ‘100% natural’ and ‘biodegradable’ kids soaps- ‘100% pure organic’ shampoos and conditioners- ‘all-natural’ hair removal- ‘100% natural’ bronzer- ‘all natural’ and ‘certified oganic’ toothpastes• By far the most common environmental claim in thiscategory, found on 263 products, is ‘natural’. Forexample:- ‘naturally pure’ body lotion- ‘naturally-derived’ ingredients in handsoaps- facial buffs ‘made with natural materials’- ‘naturally refreshing’ soapsUnless a specific definition is offered, claims of ‘natural’commit the Sin of Vagueness. The specific challengeswith ‘natural’ claims are described above, inthe section entitled Kids (toys & babyproducts).263Number of cosmetics claiming to be‘natural’, by far the most commonenvironmental claim in this category.www.sinsofgreenwashing.org