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Apr 29, 2010 - Many of you are sceptical about green claims – 80% of you don't think they are always true – and our
GREEN CLAIMS INVESTIGATION

GREEN CLAIMS INVESTIGATION

TOILET CLEANERS

ARE YOU BEING

Our experts pull the chain on greenwash claims by big-name toilet cleaner brands

GREENWASHED?

Our scientists felt that the toilet cleaners we gave them (see below) all made at least one green claim that wasn’t proven by the manufacturer’s evidence. In some cases, ingredients in the eco products may biodegrade a little faster than those in standard products.

Our experts challenge the evidence behind green claims on big-name household products

M

any of you are sceptical about green claims – 80% of you don’t think they are always true – and our research shows that you may have a point. We gave 14 everyday items with eco messages on them to a panel of experts to find out whether the claims were justified. Our experts thought that, while all made some genuine claims, almost half of the ‘eco’ laundry tablets, toilet cleaners and nappies made claims that the companies didn’t support with convincing evidence. As a result of our research, Tesco has agreed to alter its packaging.

OUR RESEARCH Our experts assessed individual claims on product packaging against evidence supplied by manufacturers. A product’s whole life cycle has an impact on the environment and this is often impossible to assess from the claims alone. So we’ve defined ‘greenwash’ here as any claims that weren’t proven. Our panel included Dr John Hoskins, a toxicologist and former scientific advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment, and Dr John Emsley, a chemist who has written extensively about the impact of chemicals in everyday items. Our green communications expert is John Twitchen, who runs green communications agency Sauce Consultancy.

When companies make clear green claims, it helps consumers make eco-choices with confidence. But our experts concluded that many of the companies did not provide enough evidence to back up their claims and thought that some were exaggerated. This makes it hard for people to choose. Which? will continue to work to make sure that companies make clear and meaningful claims. 18 | May 2010

www.which.co.uk

go through a waste treatment plant to remove harmful chemicals. However, the eco products may be better if you have a septic tank. All the toilet cleaners also made some genuine claims – all use renewable, plant based ingredients.

TESCO NATURALLY

GREEN FORCE

KEY CLAIMS: ‘Naturally…’ Its cleaning ingredients are derived from plant extracts. It contains no phosphates and leaves no hazardous chemical residues. VERDICT: Some claims are greenwash. Regular marketleading toilet cleaners don’t contain phosphates or leave hazardous chemical residues either, say our scientists.

KEY CLAIMS: It’s specially formulated to limit the impact on the environment. VERDICT: Some claims are greenwash. Our scientists had reservations about the claim ‘formulated to limit the impact on the environment’. There was no convincing evidence to show that it had a different impact on aquatic life than the market leader.

SAINSBURY’S CLEANHOME

ECOVER KEY CLAIMS: It biodegrades rapidly and is ecological. VERDICT: Some claims are greenwash. Our scientists had reservations about the claims, as they found no convincing evidence to show that it had a different impact on aquatic life than the market leader once it had been through a waste treatment plant.

KEY CLAIMS: It’s kinder to the environment and is biodegradable. VERDICT: Some claims lack evidence. Though it has the independently assured EU Eco label, our scientists say there was no convincing evidence to show that it had a different impact on aquatic life than the market leader.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: PIXELEYES, DENNIS PEDERSEN

WHICH? SAYS

However, our scientists felt that there was no convincing evidence to show that the chemicals found in a standard toilet cleaner would have a significantly worse impact on aquatic life. There are laws in place ensuring the biodegradability of detergents and they all

WHAT THEY SAID Green Force says its detergent is derived from sugar. It says the official EU Detergent Database shows that it’s no more persistently toxic than soap and approximately 20 times better than a typical alternative. Tesco says that its product is significantly different because of the renewable ingredients, but will remove the phosphate claim. On hazardous residues, it says that in www.which.co.uk

the case of accidental contact, citric acid and naturally derived detergents are ‘much kinder to the skin than the acid found in other products.’ Sainsbury’s says: ‘The Ecolabel scheme is an independent initiative endorsed by Defra and the EU. This gives our customers credible independent assurance of the environmental credentials.’

Ecover says about both its toilet cleaner and laundry tablets (see page 20): ‘The rules about biodegradability only apply to the detergents (3%-20% of total product) and only in aerobic conditions (where air is present). Our products are fully degradable in anaerobic and aerobic conditions, going further than legislation and differentiating Ecover from market leaders.’ May 2010 | 19

GREEN CLAIMS INVESTIGATION

GREEN CLAIMS INVESTIGATION

LAUNDRY TABLETS

Coming clean: our experts look at claims made by four laundry tablets including Ariel and Persil The environmental impact of laundry tablets depends on how you use them. Ariel and Persil have logos to highlight the fact that they can be used at lower temperatures and encourage greener behaviour. Our expert felt that the logos in themselves weren’t clear about what the green benefits might be.

Our scientists felt that Ecover and Simply Active Eco Smart both made some claims they didn’t back up with evidence. Ecover’s tablets don’t contain chemicals such as optical brighteners, which it says aren’t easily biodegradable. However, as with toilet cleaners, our scientists felt that there was

no convincing evidence to show that the chemicals found in market-leading tablets would have a significantly worse impact on aquatic life. Our experts agreed that the eco products did make some genuine claims – all use renewable, plant based ingredients.

NAPPIES AND ECO WIPES

Are the claims on ‘eco’ nappies and wipes clear enough? Our experts investigated six products When our panel of experts looked at six nappy and eco wipe products, our scientists felt that the environmental claims stood up. All the nappies and wipes demonstrated some green characteristics. However, our communications expert, John Twitchen, felt that some claims were

vague and made it harder for consumers to differentiate between products. He says: ‘Products targeting green consumers have a responsibility to be clear and unambiguous; while claims may be scientifically proven, the evidence has to be accessible to the average consumer.’

The eco nappies and wipes use some plant-based renewable materials, and many claim to be made with 60% natural materials. Our experts said that they’re more readily biodegradable than the alternatives as they use less plastic, which reduces the volume in landfill.

PERSIL

ARIEL

NATURE BABYCARE NAPPIES

ASDA GO ECO BABY NAPPIES

KEY CLAIMS: It has the Cleaner Planet Plan logo. The tablets are concentrated. VERDICT: The green logo could cause confusion. Our communications expert said that it’s not clear which environmental issues the logo relates to, ie whether it’s about their action or yours.

KEY CLAIMS: It has the Future Friendly logo. VERDICT: The green logo could cause confusion. As with Persil, our communications expert said that it’s not clear which environmental issues the logo relates to, ie whether it’s about their action or yours.

KEY CLAIMS: They’re biodegradable, chlorine free and based on natural materials. VERDICT: Our communications expert said the detail on the pack was commendable, but people could find it hard to see how their environmental impact had been reduced.

KEY CLAIMS: Has more than 60% natural materials. 100% biodegradable backsheet. VERDICT: The nappies encourage people to ‘go eco baby’, but our communications expert felt there wasn’t enough information about how it helps the environment.

ECOVER

SIMPLY ACTIVE ECO SMART

KEY CLAIMS: It has minimum impact on aquatic life. No optical brighteners. VERDICT: Some claims are greenwash. Our scientists felt the evidence didn’t show that it had a significantly different impact on aquatic life than the market leaders. Ecover said that optical brighteners make an irreversible bond with skin, but our scientists said this simply isn’t true.

KEY CLAIMS: It uses 36% less powder, is biodegradable and causes far less harm to the environment. VERDICT: This product has the independently assured EU Eco label, but our scientists felt the evidence didn’t show that it had a significantly different impact on the aquatic environment than the market leaders.

WHAT THEY SAID Persil says that its Cleaner Planet Plan has reduced water by 76%, greenhouse gases by 44% and waste by 70% in Persil’s manufacturing. It told us that it develops products for low temperatures that are concentrated to save packaging and transport, and it educates consumers about 20 | May 2010

SAINSBURY’S ECO NAPPIES KEY CLAIMS: Made from 60% renewable plantbased materials. VERDICT: Our communications expert said that there could be more explanation about how the product helps the environment.

SAINSBURY’S ECO BABY WIPES

EARTH FRIENDLY BABY WIPES

ASDA GO ECO BABYWIPES

KEY CLAIMS: Made from 100% biodegradable, natural ingredients. VERDICT: Our communications expert felt this product’s eco claims were well explained and it provided a web link.

KEY CLAIMS: They’re biodegradable and made from sustainable resources. VERDICT: Our communications expert felt that the green claims on these baby wipes were well explained.

KEY CLAIMS: Made from 100% renewable plant-based materials. VERDICT: This product plays heavily on the eco image but offers little information about what it means, according to our communications expert.

HOW GREEN ARE YOUR ECO PRODUCTS? the best ways to wash – where 80% of the environmental impact occurs. Ariel says: ‘Future Friendly is a campaign between P&G brands and Energy Saving Trust, Waterwise and Waste Watch to help consumers save energy, waste and water. Ariel’s excellent low-temperature cleaning

performance is the most important factor in reducing environmental impact.’ Simply says: ‘Our range has been awarded Eco label status after undergoing extensive tests and benchmarked against toxicity criteria which most, if not all, the leading brands cannot meet.’ www.which.co.uk

The Bosch Sensixx Eco iron This iron has an eco steam setting, but our lab tests found that it used the same amount of energy as a normal Bosch iron on a low steam setting. www.which.co.uk

The Ainsley Harriott Eco Express Kettle The minimum fill for this kettle is a litre (more than some) and our lab test showed that it wasn’t any quicker or more efficient than other kettles.

Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Econetic Fuel economy is 65.5mpg, based on government standards. In our tests that include motorways it was 49.6mpg. We often find cars have lower mpgs than the official ones. May 2010 | 21