printed things
our industry is full of creative people running creative creative
businesses, producing some very products.
to think creatively for the future, and it’s time to update our language.
The time has come
Eco-friendly Sustainable Environmentally friendly
The whole world started using these terms, and we all adopted them. But what do they really mean, and are they appropriate?
The ACCC states:
‘Green’, ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘environmentally safe’
Businesses should clearly and accurately explain why their products are ‘greener’, or more environmentally ‘safe’ or ‘friendly’ than other similar products.
If no other information is provided to support such claims, they should not be relied upon and could, in some circumstances, be considered misleading.
https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/your-consumer-rights-environmental-claims
impacting purchasing decisions.
This is a growing trend, not a passing one.
The need to be aware of compliance obligations is becoming more important as consumers are becoming increasingly conscientious around climate change and sustainability. Environmental considerations are often directly
The priorities for the ACCC reflect this, with one of their top enforcement and compliance activities for 2023-24 listed as:
‘Consumer, product safety, fair trading and competition concerns in relation to environmental claims and sustainability.’
https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/accc-priorities/compliance-and-enforcement-policy-and-priorities#toc-this-year-s-priorities
Using “green” credentials as a marketing tool is entirely legitimate, providing the credentials are genuine, and can be shown to be so.
what we can do.