BBB National Programs Releases Results Of Green Claims Study

Earlier this week, BBB National Programs released the results of a research study it commissioned, which looked into how consumers interpret various types of environmental marketing claims. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia, concluded that more transparent and specific messaging about environmental benefits can help consumers make more accurate assumptions about a company's environmental impact and do so without harming brand perception. 

Here are the key takeaways from the study: 

• Broad, unqualified green claims may prompt consumers to infer environmental benefits that were never stated. When companies make general environmental benefit claims, "consumers may assume a company engages in additional environmentally responsible practices that were never mentioned. This ‘halo effect’ can lead to potentially inaccurate perceptions of a company's overall environmental performance.