Growing number of businesses turn eco-friendly amid consumer demand
Author: Angie Raphael
“A worm farm processes green waste, we recycle plastics and cardboard and return glass and plastic bottles and donate the proceeds to a local charity.” Ms Randazzo said she noticed there was a gap in the WA marketplace for an off-grid luxury stay. “Buried beneath the ridge upon which the tents sit lies more than half a kilometre of power cables and water poly pipes,” she said. Products used at Serenity Gully are also eco-friendly, including their compostable coffee pods and toilet paper and tissues made from easily regenerated bamboo. “In our investigation, we found that too many businesses were making big environmental claims with vague terms. “For a consumer, it is often unclear if the green claims businesses are making are genuine green marketing or greenwashing.” Purchases made due to green claims included household cleaning products (47 per cent), groceries (42 per cent) and beauty or personal care. At least 50 per cent of people said they were worried about the truthfulness of green claims across every sector, from energy markets to superannuation. “Consumers should be able to trust that the sustainable claims they see are backed up with real environmental action, but at the moment it’s too hard to tell a vague promise from a genuine commitment,” Ms Turner said. “Business must take more responsibility for ensuring their green claims are truthful, accurate and easy for consumers to understand.”