Green labels on plastic packaging can mislead consumers, survey reveals

A recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Client Earth reveals that while most consumers believe plastic packaging harms the environment, they perceive products marked with a “green” or “recyclable” logo as an environmentally positive choice.

Packaging Insights speaks to Kamila Drzewicka, a lawyer at ClientEarth, about how this week’s UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations can dismantle the “plastic paradox” that continues to mislead consumers by promoting recycling as the solution to the plastic pollution crisis.

“The UN Global Plastics Treaty is a crucial opportunity to tackle the plastic crisis, especially if it includes a target to reduce plastic production. Yet, the countries and companies that profit from plastic continue to argue that improved recycling alone is enough to address the scale of the problem,” says Drzewicka. 

“That’s simply not true, particularly when only 9% of plastic ever produced has been recycled and plastic production is projected to triple by 2050.”

Recycling solution “deeply misleading” 

The study, conducted across France, Germany, Great Britain, and Poland, finds that over 70% of respondents view plastic packaging as harmful to the environment.

Yet Drzewicka argues that many of the claims on plastic packaging suggest that packaging can be transformed into new packaging infinitely. 

The UN Global Plastics Treaty is key to tackling the plastics crisis by cutting plastic production, says Drzewicka.She adds: “The survey clearly shows the narrative promoted by the industry — that recycling offsets the negative aspects of plastic packaging — is deeply misleading to consumers. On their labels, companies often refer to the circularity of plastic, suggesting that packaging can be transformed into new packaging repeatedly. But in reality, indefinite recycling is not feasible.” 

Instead, Drzewicka urges companies to move away from images, signs, and logos that infer circularity and the environment. “Doing so would open space for a more honest and meaningful debate around single-use plastic packaging.”

Limited consumer choice 

The survey findings from each country all point to the same result: despite knowing that plastic waste has negative environmental impacts, packaging that contains green symbols or language can convince consumers otherwise. 

It stipulates that when plastic products feature “fully recyclable” or “contains recycled plastic” labels, 58% and 72% of consumers perceive them as environmentally positive.

“People across Europe generally share a similar understanding that plastic has harmful effects on both the environment and human health,” says Drzewicka.

She highlights that consumers are aware of single-use plastic alternatives in countries where the tradition of shopping at markets or buying goods by weight is more firmly established. 

“Unfortunately, purchasing products not pre-packaged by the manufacturer is becoming increasingly difficult. This not only limits consumers’ choices but also shapes the habits of younger generations, gradually accustoming them to the constant presence of plastic in daily life.”

Lack of recycling data

Recycling alone cannot solve the plastics crisis, asserts Drzewicka.The study finds that the majority of surveyed consumers are more likely to purchase plastic packaging if it is labeled as fully recyclable or contains recycled content. Similarly, a recent McKinsey survey found that recyclability is considered the “most critical” sustainable aspect of packaging.

The Ipsos study finds that 73–80% of people (depending on the country) believe products with recycling logos will be recycled if properly disposed of.

Despite consumer trust in recyclable packaging, global recycling rates remain low. According to Zero Waste Europe, the recycling rate for plastic bottles in the EU is approximately 50%. Around 30% are used to make new bottles, and 20% are processed into other products.

“In many countries, there is a lack of publicly available data on recycling rates. As a result, consumers are often unaware of the true state of affairs. Public discourse is dominated by advertising for plastic-packaged products, which heavily shapes consumer perceptions,” says Drzewicka.

She also criticizes waste collection practices that promote the idea that individual efforts can “make a meaningful difference.” She acknowledges that while proper sorting is “undoubtedly important,” it is not enough to combat the “sheer volume” of plastic waste. 

Combating greenwashing 

Recently, major packaging and plastic providers have faced legal challenges against misleading packaging claims or practices. 

Last year, Coca-Cola was sued in Washington, D.C., US, over allegations that its environmental sustainability claims violated the Consumer Protection Procedures Act. California’s attorney general sued ExxonMobil over decades of negligence and intentional plastic recycling misinformation.

In May, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority banned Lavazza UK and Dualit ads for calling their coffee packaging “compostable,” ruling that the claim was misleading because it applied only to industrial composting.