The state is finally taking an interest in greenwashing!
A few days ago, Médiapart reported that a major group was being investigated for money laundering by the direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes.
Greenwashing refers to the process by which a company or organisation claims to be green or sustainable, often in order to disguise unsustainable practices or to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
This can include strategies such as :
- Modification of the packaging to make it more environmentally friendly,
- Communicating sustainable practices without actually adopting them,
- Participation in green initiatives without any real operational change.
This company has been the target of three complaints accusing it of a discrepancy between their advertising and the reality of their ecological and environmental commitments – in other words, industrial greenwashing. A discrepancy was revealed between the Group’s desire to achieve carbon neutrality and its desire to open up new sites for fossil fuels.
The DGCCRF ‘s investigation into this group is just the first of many. In addition, compliance with the AGEC law law is an obligation. From 2023, the first fines should be levied. Many people think that this law only concerns packaging and the recycling sector, but it has a much broader impact on all economic players. The legislator did not differentiate between companies according to their size, and today they are subject to the same fines, i.e. €15,000, which is particularly hard on a small business.
In addition, this law is currently being replicated throughout Europe, and should be applied from next year. Companies and organizations must therefore comply with the AGEC law and their commitments.
To facilitate the implementation of this measure of the AGEC law, CircularPlace can also help you achieve a zero carbon footprint with its anti-waste solution. At CircularPlacewe’ve developed a marketplace linking companies with associations and recyclers to recycle unsold and stagnant stock.
We can also provide you with a impact calculation for each of your sales and/or purchases, to help you consume with the least impact on the environment.