International Environmental Marketing Claims: Real Change or Simple Posturing?

Growing environmental concern on the part of consumers, firms and regulators has seen an increase in the use of environmental marketing. In a desire to "go green" marketers around the world have made changes to all facets of the marketing mix. One of the areas that has seen the greatest modification has been in the Promotional area. Internationally marketers have incorporated environmental "information" into their advertising, as well as incorporate into their other promotional tools. This increased use of environmental advertising has in particular resulted in an increased "concern" on the part of regulators, in most countries where it is used, that firms are only undertaking green-wash. That is governments are concerned that firms are simply using catch phrases and terms that have no real meaning or are misleading, thus preventing consumers who wish to consume in a more environmentally responsible fashion from doing so