UK watchdog to expose fashion brands guilty of greenwashing

Meeting consumer demands for products that have a lower impact on the planet has resulted in retailers adding ‘conscious’ or ‘planet-friendly’ sections to their in-store and online collections.

Clothing made ethically is almost guaranteed to come at a higher price tag, but it’s a cost that 60 percent of buyers would be happy to pay for in exchange for peace of mind, according to research carried out by the CMA.

This alone has led to internationally recognised fast fashion brands making minor changes in production in order to sell higher-priced clothing stitched with eco-friendly tags. GoodOnYou reports that H&M, Zara, and ASOS are amongst the worst offenders for this type of greenwashing.

Deceptive phrases like ‘made with recycled fibres’ lead shoppers to believe that what they’re buying is a piece of clothing in its second lifestyle. In most cases, recycled materials will only make up 10-20 percent of the textiles used.

By now, most large fashion retailers will have set ambitious sustainability goals and created ranges that commit to a lower environmental impact, but the reality is that a broad majority of remaining product lines rank very poorly on the sustainability index.

Greenwashing has the ability to tip the market in favour of large-scale retailers.

When fast fashion giants make overexaggerated claims about the ‘greenness’ of their products, they regain the loyalty of customers who may have otherwise stopped shopping with them due to mounting environmental concerns.

As a result, smaller companies that make genuine and considerable efforts to produce sustainable clothing lines end up losing their competitive advantage.

Following the CMA’s investigation, brands named within the list of greenwashing offenders will be asked to make changes to their eco-friendly advertising claims. If brands should refuse to comply, they risk being taken to court.

The investigation will be the first action of its kind in the UK, one the CMA anticipates we will see popping up more frequently as young consumers demand greater transparency from the brands they shop from.

Let’s hope that with these revelations, fast fashion giants will finally be forced to abandon their sneaky greenwashing practices. To do so, they’ll need to make changes that result in products that are better for our planet – from start to finish.