What Is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing means a company presenting its products, services or itself as more environmentally responsible than it actually is. Often, no outright lie is even told; a true but small detail is put in the spotlight, and the real big picture stays hidden behind it.

This is no longer just a matter of reputation. In Türkiye, stricter rules have applied to environmental claims in advertising since 1 August 2026. In the European Union, similar bans took effect on 27 September 2026.

How Does Greenwashing Happen? Everyday Examples

Greenwashing is usually done through incomplete or vague information. The most common examples are:

• Vague wording: Printing only "eco-friendly," "natural" or "green" on the packaging, but not explaining what is eco-friendly and compared to what.
• Presenting a part as the whole: Marketing a product whose packaging alone is recyclable as if the whole product were eco-friendly.
• Unsubstantiated carbon-neutral claims: Labelling a product "carbon neutral" by simply buying carbon credits instead of reducing emissions.
• Targets without a plan: Saying "we will be net zero by 2040" without a roadmap to show how.
• Self-made labels: Using "green" logos created by the company itself rather than awarded by an independent body.

What these examples have in common is that the claim sounds good on its own but does not reflect the whole picture. And because we like hearing that we are part of something good, such claims are often accepted without question.

Is a Claim Greenwashing? Understand In Two Questions

You do not need complex analysis to tell whether an environmental claim is reliable. These two questions are usually enough:

1. Is the claim measurable? "30% less plastic than the previous packaging" is a measurable claim. "Nature-respecting production" is not.
2. Is there evidence that can be shown? Without a calculation verified by an independent body, a certificate or a public report, the claim is just a slogan.

The same rule applies to your company: run every "green" phrase your marketing team uses through these two questions.

What Do the Rules Say in Türkiye?

The Advertising Board under Türkiye's Ministry of Trade has long been watching greenwashing closely and published guidelines on advertisements containing environmental claims in 2022. With the amendment to the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices on 1 July 2026, many of these principles were moved directly into the regulation. Accordingly:

• General terms such as "eco-friendly," "green" or "sustainable" cannot be used without explanation.
• The claim must specify which part of the product or which stage of its life cycle it covers.
• Claims such as "carbon neutral" and "zero emissions" cannot be used without stating their scope, method and verification.
• The claim in the advertisement must be based on the same scope and method as the data in the company's sustainability report.

Advertisements that break these rules may face sanctions such as suspension, correction and administrative fines.

Additional Rules for Exporters to the EU

In the EU, since 27 September 2026, generic environmental claims aimed at consumers are banned unless they can be substantiated. Claiming that a product is "climate neutral" solely through carbon offsetting is also no longer accepted. This is why the environmental wording on the labels and packaging of products sold in the EU market also needs to be reviewed.

In short, the best protection against greenwashing is not staying silent, but building a solid data infrastructure that supports everything you say.

To base your environmental claims on verifiable data and plan your sustainability reporting processes, get in touch with our experts.