Photo : Fredrik Hjerling
Cecilia Solér :
There isn ’ t a jungle of labels - there are a few serious labels
THE RESEARCHER ON GREEN LABELS : A DRAMATIC INCREASE
It is very common for stores to have their own brand to promote their own sustainability efforts , or a specific collection with an environmental or sustainability focus . According to Cecilia Solér , researcher at the School of Business , Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg , the number of individual brands has exploded and legislation needs to be updated . Cecilia Solér has been researching marketing with environmental arguments since the 1980s .
- Green labels and own brands have increased tremendously in the last three to four years . One reason is that companies are subject to higher sustainability standards , but they are also increasingly scrutinized by the media . I see how labels , with less stringent requirements , manage to secure the supply of large quantities of goods , increasing their share of the market . One example is the rise of the industry ’ s own initiative , BCI ( Better Cotton Initiative ), which has resulted in a decrease in GOTS ( organic farming ) among individual retailers .
Cecilia Solér believes that the information consumers encounter in stores is misleading . She warns against an erosion of the concept of ” sustainable ” and gives an example :
- For example , certifications such as BCI and GOTS cannot be equated . BCI has very low chemical requirements compared to GOTS . Allowing pesticides , as BCI does , is not environmentally sustainable .
Better regulation is needed
- Authorities and politicians must keep up and decide what may be called labelling . There are now many types of labelling , and it must be understood that consumption takes place in competitive markets . If there is no regulation around labelling , while more companies want to be sustainable and the fashion industry is ” under the microscope ” of the media , initiatives ( labels ) are developed that are cheap and set relatively low standards with the aim of competing for ” eco-conscious ” consumers .
Cecilia Solér believes that market forces have been allowed to ravage too freely and that legislation has slipped behind .
- I think the regulatory framework needs to be changed . It hasn ’ t kept up and the legislators must do something about it . There must be incentives in the law to work with serious labels . There isn ’ t a jungle of labels - there are a few serious labels that guide people to sustainable choices .
But it ’ s not just the legislators who need to keep up with development . According to Cecilia Solér , the eco-labels must also meet today ’ s need for brands to create public relations . Consumer behavior is driven by a desire to own something that is socially sought after . Then , you can let yourself be influenced by phenomena that you really know do not affect how well the garment meets the environmental demands . Like the fact that the company works with matters regarding sustainability .
This allows you to be positively disposed to a purchase simply because you want that specific garment . This places increased demands on eco-labels to be more than just a stamp of approval that a product meets tough environmental requirements .
-Consumers who are more environmentally conscious often rely on labels and certifications . To meet the needs of those who are not as strict , but still want to make a good choice for the environment and at the same time own something sought after , the eco-labels must make an effort and build up their brand , the same way as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel has done .
Source : ” Gröna märkningar - en djungel ?” published by Miljömärkning Sweden . Read more : www . nordic-ecolabel . org COTTOVER 15