In recent years, the concept of environmental protection has received more and more attention and support from consumers. Many brands have also expressed concern for the environment and have launched products that avoid excessive packaging and reduce the use of plastic. However, some consumers have found that there are many fake environmental protection real “greenwashing” behaviors. “Greenwashing” refers to a form of marketing that misleads consumers about the environmental characteristics of a product.
According to the “Korea Herald” reported on April 8, South Korean beauty brand Innisfree has also recently fallen into the “greenwashing” storm. Under the questioning of netizens, the brand was forced to respond to why its “paper bottle” packaging was a “matryoshka doll” and “apologize” for the inaccuracy of the promotional language. However, this response and apology have so far failed to convince the public.
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environmental protection
“The product is now packaged with “matryoshka doll”, and the brand is suspected of “greenwashing”
Recently, in a Facebook group called “Don’t Buy Plastic”, a South Korean netizen posted an explosive piece of content – after opening a bottle of Innisfree’s facial essence, he found that there was a plastic bottle wrapped in a paper shell package, but the package said “I am a paper bottle”.
↑Environmental protection “paper bottle” leads to controversy According to the Korea Herald
The netizen said that he felt “deceived” at the time, and then filed a formal complaint at a consumer center for “greenwashing” products.
The image quickly ignited the anger of Korean netizens on social media, and also attracted media attention and follow-up. Netizens criticized innisfree, and at the same time launched a big discussion about green product packaging.
According to the BBC, innisfree is a subsidiary of Amorepacific, which launched a series of environmentally friendly products in July last year, aiming to reduce plastic packaging by 700 tons by 2022. And this controversial facial serum is part of its campaign to reduce plastic packaging. For this reason, some critics have also questioned the brand’s determination to reduce plastic waste.
Brands say packaging uses half as much plastic, and consumers don’t buy it
innisfree later issued a statement acknowledging that “I am a paper bottle” packaging could be misleading, but explained that the term “paper bottle” was used to explain the role of the paper wrapped around the bottle. The company ignored the term “the possibility that it may mislead people into thinking that the entire product packaging is paper” and “apologized for failing to convey the message in an accurate manner.” ”
As for the controversial plastic liner, innisfree explained that the plastic bottle is recyclable, environmentally friendly, and thinner than traditional packaging, using 51.8% less plastic. In addition, the brand adds, the packaging of this product also provides consumers with information on how to separate and recycle.
In response, the consumer who filed the lawsuit told the Korea Herald that the company’s justification and lagged response were “insufficient” and that many people chose the product to reduce their damaging impact on the environment. Through this “misleading promotion”, the company has taken advantage of this part of the population. Companies could have used expressions such as “semi-plastic” or “light plastic” to prevent misreadings.
The world is caught in a plastic pollution crisis, and companies are playing tricks under environmental pressure
In recent years, public concerns about plastic pollution have prompted many to make environmental efforts.
In July last year, a report published in the journal Science showed that without widespread action, 1.3 billion tons of plastic are expected to enter the environment by 2040, and there is no escape from plastic pollution anywhere, whether on land or sea. As a result, many companies that generate a lot of plastic waste have begun to take action to reduce the use of plastic.
↑ Plastic pollution in the environment Picture according to the BBC
But environmentalists say many companies are actually scratching the surface at best, or even making the problem worse. Companies promoting their plastic waste solutions have been accused of “greenwashing” from time to time.
Nina Schrank, a senior staff member at Greenpeace UK, said that when companies are under increasing pressure to tackle plastic pollution, many of them are rushing to use false means such as using bioplastics or paper products that may not necessarily be recycled, and do not solve the real problem at all. Solving the plastic pollution crisis requires “sincere innovation”, not playing tricks that use more disposable products or “greenwashing”.
Red Star News reporter Lin Rong
Edit by Zhang Xun
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↑Environmental protection “paper bottle” leads to controversy According to the Korea Herald