A study in Australia has found that many food products in supermarkets carry labels such as “natural”, “sustainable”, “vegan”, or “environmentally friendly”. However, many of these claims are not independently certified, and some may simply be marketing tactics used by companies to attract consumers—commonly known as “greenwashing”.
Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health analysed more than 27,000 packaged food products from major Sydney supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA, and Harris Farm. The study found that nearly 40% of products carried some form of environmental or sustainability-related claim.
A separate study further examined whether products labelled as “eco-friendly” or “low-carbon” actually produced fewer emissions than their counterparts.
The results showed that, in general, products with such claims tended to have lower carbon footprints. However, in some high-emission categories, the opposite was found. For example, certain meat and confectionery products marketed as environmentally friendly actually had higher carbon emissions than similar products without such labels.
Experts say the problem is that there are too many different types of eco-labels on the market, with no unified standards or clear definitions, making it difficult for consumers to accurately assess which products are truly better for the environment.
Natalina Zlatevska from the University of Technology Sydney suggested that Australia could adopt a system similar to France’s Eco-Score, which uses simple colour ratings to help consumers quickly understand a product’s environmental impact.
Commentary:
Many terms on food packaging such as “natural”, “environmentally friendly”, or “sustainable” are often more marketing language than scientific fact. Without carefully checking ingredients and product details, consumers can easily be misled into believing these products are healthier or better for the environment. These labels often exploit consumers’ desire for a healthier lifestyle and their trust in brands.
The government should strengthen regulation by establishing clear definitions and independent certification systems to prevent companies from misusing such claims. At the same time, if consumers genuinely want to reduce their environmental impact, relying on packaging labels alone is not enough. A more effective approach would be to reduce meat consumption and increase intake of vegetables, fruits, and legumes—arguably more impactful than any “eco-friendly” label on packaging.