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Misleading Green Claims in Food: How Financial Experts Can Protect Consumers
According to a report from www.sueddeutsche.de, more and more foods are being touted as being particularly climate-friendly. But an investigation by consumer advice centers shows that many of these statements are misleading and false. 53 of the 87 products tested were advertised as “climate neutral”, others as “climate or CO2 positive”. These statements can lead to misconceptions among consumers, according to Jutta Saumweber, head of the food and nutrition department at the Bavarian Consumer Center. Such advertising claims are often difficult to verify and it remains unclear whether they refer to the packaging, production or the entire product. In addition, important information on the classification of the climate and CO2 statements on the products is often missing. …
Misleading Green Claims in Food: How Financial Experts Can Protect Consumers
According to a report from www.sueddeutsche.de, more and more foods are being touted as being particularly climate-friendly. But an investigation by consumer advice centers shows that many of these statements are misleading and false.
53 of the 87 products tested were advertised as “climate neutral”, others as “climate or CO2 positive”. These statements can lead to misconceptions among consumers, according to Jutta Saumweber, head of the food and nutrition department at the Bavarian Consumer Center.
Such advertising claims are often difficult to verify and it remains unclear whether they refer to the packaging, production or the entire product. In addition, important information on the classification of the climate and CO2 statements on the products is often missing.
From the point of view of the consumer advice center, unverifiable statements often involve compensation payments in compensation projects that do not deliver what they promise. For example, certain climate protection projects are built for economic reasons, and the sale of emission allowances is not the main reason for building the power plant.
In supermarkets, consumers find it difficult to assess the value of such statements because there are currently no recognized seals in the area of climate advertising. Jutta Saumweber therefore advises to focus less on company promises and instead place more emphasis on a truly sustainable diet.
The misleading advertising can have an impact on the market as consumers may purchase products that they mistakenly believe to be environmentally friendly. Manufacturers could gain a competitive advantage if they advertise their products with misleading statements. This could lead to market distortion and conflict between companies that actually produce sustainable products and those that only claim to do so.
In order to minimize the impact on the market and consumers, it is important that advertising claims on food are subject to strict testing and can only be supported by appropriate certificates. Consumers should also be sensitized to deal with such statements critically and to focus more on transparent and sustainable products.
Read the source article at www.sueddeutsche.de