The buzz about go-green initiatives is phenomenal, but it is not all positive. No doubt, retailers have made major strides in enacting eco-friendly initiatives, and they have engaged their PR machines to squeeze every drop of publicity out them. But a great deal of this activity falls into the category of 'greenwashing,' a term that has hit retailing by storm. Retailers that greenwash by making vague or misleading eco-friendly claims are coming under attack on the Internet. Greenwashers or greenwinners: here is what the Web is saying about Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Tesco.
Is Home Depot Green Washing?
Home Depot is using four times the amount of paper necessary to make an exchange.
Tesco in Second Biofuels Greenwash Scandal
The environmental group, Greenpeace, is claiming that Tesco has fallen foul of greenwashing its diesel fuel sold in its petrol stations.
Wal-Mart Greenwashing
Wal-Mart tries to show people that it has become green, but it has not.
Woolworths Denies 'Greenwashing' Charge
The union representing forestry workers has accused retail giant Woolworths of "greenwashing" because it is importing and selling paper products made by a firm with a bad environmental record.
Corporate Greenwashing: Whole Foods and Plastic Bags
Whole Foods want consumers to believe that new paper sacks use only old materials: the latter talks about its bags being made of "100% recycled paper." But this isn't really true.
Greenwashing Earth Day - Advertisers, We Are Not That Dumb Anymore
There is a big difference between buying a green version of something that you actually need versus buying something you don't need at all just in an effort to be green.
High-Profile Green Programs Can Cut Both Ways, Survey Finds
Marks & Spencer has been named the greenest company in the U.K for the second year running. BP and Tesco, which have also undertaken high-profile sustainability programs, are still considered to be most guilty of greenwashing.
Private Sector: The Greening of Safeway
Safeway has a "green energy tree," which includes energy efficiency, recycling, and using sustainable fuel and energy sources.
Why Everyone is Greenwashing, and Why That's Not So Bad
Eco-friendly can only exist as a relative concept - no product or process is unequivocally green, but only greener than other products or processes intended to achieve the same goal.
Will Green Initiatives Win Back Price-Sensitive Shoppers?
Retailers need to show consumers ways that they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint in their own operations and then sell products that help consumers do the same.
For related stories see:
Get Real About Green
Six Steps for Greening Your Global Supply Chain
Green Strategy for Retailing: Risks and Rewards
Shipping: Six Steps to Achieving Retail's Holy Green Grail
A "Pervasive Green" Initiative in Retail
-Christina Zarrello
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