Greenwashing

What it looks like

It is rarely an outright lie. It is a vague claim that cannot be checked, or a true one about a detail presented as if it applied to the whole product.

The European directive gives a clear example. "Climate-friendly packaging" is a generic claim. "100% of the energy used to produce this packaging comes from renewable sources" is a specific one.

What the European Union bans

Directive (EU) 2024/825 applies from September 27, 2026. Among other practices, it bans two that touch carbon directly.

One is making a generic environmental claim without being able to demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance.

The other is claiming that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions based on offsetting.

If you sell to consumers in Europe, "carbon neutral" backed by carbon credits is no longer a phrase you can put on a package.

In Chile

There is a bill to prevent and penalize greenwashing, bulletin 15044-12. It was filed on May 31, 2022 and the Chamber of Deputies approved it on January 15, 2024. As of October 13, 2026 it is listed as in progress in the Senate, in its second stage, before the Environment Committee.

How to avoid it

With figures and backing. Say how much you measured, with which method and for which year, and keep the document at hand. A claim you can prove is not greenwashing.

Source: Directive (EU) 2024/825 and bulletin 15044-12, Senate of Chile.