What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is misleading environmental marketing, where a company gives the impression of being more environmentally friendly, sustainable, or climate-friendly than it actually is. According to Danish marketing law, it is illegal to use misleading or undocumented environmental claims.
This can include, for example, a company claiming to be "green" or "sustainable" without being able to substantiate the claim with a comprehensive life cycle assessment or verifiable data.
According to DI Business, fines for greenwashing can range from DKK 40,000 to several million kroner, depending on the company's turnover and the severity of the violation (Source: DI Business (Danish)).
How to Avoid Greenwashing – According to the Danish Consumer Ombudsman
The Danish Consumer Ombudsman (Forbrugerombudsmanden) has published guidelines for businesses on environmental marketing. Below is an overview of the key principles you need to follow to ensure that your marketing is both legal and credible.
Avoid General Claims Without Documentation
When engaging in green marketing, you should avoid broad claims such as "We are sustainable" or "Our company is green" unless you can fully document these claims.
The Danish Consumer Ombudsman requires that such statements must be supported by a life cycle assessment (LCA) proving that the product has a significantly lower environmental impact compared to similar products on the market. Without this level of documentation, the claim could be considered misleading and therefore illegal.
💡 Example of a misleading claim:
"Our packaging is 100% environmentally friendly."
👉 Why? Because no product is completely free from environmental impact. A more accurate claim would be: "Our packaging is made from 90% recycled plastic, reducing CO₂ emissions by 30% compared to virgin plastic."
Use Concrete and Documented Claims
Neutral and precise claims are easier to document and provide consumers with accurate information about a product's environmental benefits.
✅ Examples of valid and documentable claims:
- "In 2023, we reduced CO₂ emissions from our clothing production by 20% by transporting raw materials by train instead of by plane and switching from plastic to cardboard packaging."
- "Our packaging consists of 90% recycled plastic, verified by [independent authority]."
The Danish Consumer Ombudsman also recommends that companies regularly update their environmental claims to reflect new technology, regulatory changes, or improved product alternatives.
Beware of the Overall Impression
Greenwashing is not just about the words you use—it also includes images, colors, symbols, and graphics.
Using green colors, leaves, globe icons, or nature images can create a misleading perception of sustainability if it is not backed up by solid data. If a company sells a product with higher environmental impact than comparable products, green branding alone can be misleading.
💡 Example:
- Misleading: An airline uses images of forests and claims "Fly green with us" without actually reducing emissions.
- Legitimate: A company states, "Our CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometer have been reduced by 15% since 2020 through the use of biofuels."
Requirements for Data and Documentation
To ensure credible environmental marketing, companies must be able to document their green claims with valid data. The documentation must:
✔ Be based on recognized measurement methods (e.g., life cycle assessments or CO₂ calculations).
✔ Be verified by an independent third party, where possible.
✔ Be easily accessible to consumers, e.g., via a QR code, website, or product packaging.
At Valified, we work daily to combat greenwashing by improving the quality of corporate sustainability data. We make it easier to collect, process, and share data across the supply chain so that companies can substantiate their environmental claims with valid data.
Final Advice
Greenwashing can have serious consequences—both financially and reputationally. By following the guidelines from the Danish Consumer Ombudsman, you ensure that your marketing is legal, trustworthy, and creates real value for both your business and your customers.
Read more:
The Consumer Ombudsman's Guidelines for Companies' Environmental Marketing (in Danish)
Valified's Approach to Anti-Greenwashing
Didn't find what you were looking for? Contact us via the chat in the lower right corner.