Are you in hospitality, retail or e-commerce and want to know how to responsibly use environmental claims on your packaging? Dive into the world of sustainable packaging with us and find out how to communicate honestly about your environmentally friendly steps.
What are environmental claims?
Environmental claims are more than just marketing jargon; they are promises to your customers that your products or business processes are friendly to our planet. In fact, an environmental claim on your packaging is a statement that suggests that your product or your company's operations have a positive, reduced, or no impact at all on the environment.
These can be claims such as "100% recyclable" or "fully compostable. Importantly, each claim must be substantiated and legally sound.
Meet legal standards
In the world of environmental claims, evidence is everything. Any "fully circular" claim must be supported by hard evidence and meet strict legal standards.
In the hospitality industry, you often see claims about biodegradable packaging or straws, while in retail and e-commerce, the emphasis is on recyclable materials and reducing the "carbon footprint. But how do you know if your claim is legitimate?
Rule 1: Make it provable.
If you say your packaging is "fully circular," you must be able to prove it. Heavier claims require heavier evidence.
Rule 2: Be specific and transparent.
Vague claims are a no-go. For example, if your packaging is made in part from recycled materials, say exactly what percentage.
Rule 3: Offer access to more info.
If space is limited, use an asterisk or QR code to point to a place where consumers can find more information, such as on the back of the package or a Web page.
Industry-specific examples
Let's dive into some real case studies:
Case study hospitality industry
- Error: A cafe claims their coffee cups are "biodegradable" without mentioning the industrial composting conditions.
- Good: Be clear about the specific conditions for compostability.
Case study retail
- Mistake: Labeling clothing as "made from 100 percent recycled material" when it's actually less.
- Good: Indicate the exact percentage of recycled material.
Case study e-commerce
- Wrong: Online stores touting their packaging as zero-waste without full transparency about the recyclability of all components.
- Good: Be honest about which parts of the packaging are truly zero-waste.
Now, what if you miss the mark? Well, you can expect a warning from the Authority Consumer & Market (ACM) or even a penalty payment to prevent repetition if your claim is deemed misleading.
Environmental claims can build or tear down your brand. Make sure they are real, specific and substantiated. This not only builds trust with your customers, but also contributes to a greener future.
Want more depth and practical tips on using environmental claims correctly? We can help you with authentic branding! And if you want to read more about how to do this right, check out the Environmental Claims Fact Sheet from the Sustainable Packaging Knowledge Institute for all the ins and outs.
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