The Real Environmental Impact of Printed Advertising

What is Greenwashing?

“Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.”

Common inaccuracies about print and paper are still a significant issue for the print industry. With many companies encouraging the switch to 'paperless' communication channels, the focus is often on green credentials. For example: Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and help save a tree”. Instead of the potential cost savings and time efficiencies, businesses can gain from these changes. These messages are unsubstantiated, misleading and can have a lasting effect on consumer perceptions of paper.

Two Sides has launched an Anti-Greenwashing Campaign to support the printed advertising industry in exposing the truth behind misleading statements and inaccuracies often quoted about the environmental impact of printed media.

Download the Two Sides Greenwash Fact Sheet

Substantiation of Statements

These statements are not specific, are not supported by reliable scientific evidence or relevant life-cycle analyses, and are misleading. Without evidence to support the claim, such communication is greenwashing and contravenes advertising regulations in most European countries.

These statements are not just misleading but hugely damaging to an industry that employs 116,000 people in the UK alone (1,096,000 EU) across more than 8,400 businesses (115,700 EU). Most commonly, the driving reason for this move to digital communication is cost reduction. Greenwashing is costing the UK printing and postal industries an estimated £10 million per annum.

The True Environmental Impact of Printed Media 

• Paper has a great sustainable story. Made from trees, it is a renewable, sustainable raw material that is easy to recycle. 
• The paper, pulp and print sector is one of the lowest-emitting industrial sectors, accounting for 0.8% of emissions. 
• Recycling paper is an essential raw material for the paper industry and should not be classed as waste. Of the fibre used by the European pulp and paper industry, 55% comes from paper (Cepi, 2019)

The Consumer's Right to Choose

A survey commissioned by Two Sides European consumers, undertaken by Toluna in 2021, showed:

• 74% Believed they should have the right to choose how they receive communications (printed or electronically) from financial organisations and service providers/ 
• 55% are concerned with online security - that personal information held electronically is at risk of being hacked or stolen
• 54% believed they should not be charged for choosing a paper bill or statement
• 59% of UK consumers say they regularly print documents at home for a hard copy. 

To find out more about consumers' right to choice, visit Keepmeposted.org.uk

What to do if you find misleading environmental claims?

Two Sides continues to actively challenge major organisations found to be misleading consumers through environmental claims about paper use. However, we need the help of our eagle-eyed supporters! If you would like to get involved and help remove the Greenwashing, please send examples and instances to greenwash@twosides.info