Since launching its campaign focusing on green claims that includes a so-called “greenwashing check”, the Austrian Association for Consumer Information (“VKI”) has been evaluating green-claims reported by consumers publicly on its website on a regular basis (for more please see the Austrian trends guide). In August, the VKI has reviewed an advertiser’s claim regarding an outdoor-bench. The advertiser claimed that this bench had been produced using recycled teak wood. For many years now, using wood from the tropical forest has been considered as not environmental-friendly. Generally, it is thus preferable for the environment, to utilise recycled teak. However, this does not mean that “recycled” wood hasn’t originally be cut down illegally or has been grown environmentally harmful and in a monoculture. In the specific case evaluated by the VKI, the advertiser did not provide any additional information on the quality of the teak wood and especially on the recycling-factor to its customers. Also following an inquiry by the VKI, no concrete information besides the origin location (Indonesia) could be provided. As a result of this lack of transparency and the origin of the wood indicating a cultivation in monoculture, the VKI considered this advertising of the bench as greenwashing.
Again, this shows that on the one hand transparency is of high importance when making green claims. Moreover, special care should be taken when making green claims in regard to a product or service ordinarily known for its environmental harmfulness.
