How to recognise truly sustainable ingredients (and not get fooled by greenwashing)

Have you ever heard of the term greenwashing? I was curious to find out what it meant, and how to spot it, including vague claims; whole life-cycle; certification; too good to be true; and ways to avoid greenwashing.

Here is everything you need to know from sustainable food expert Holly Taylor, chef and co-founder of Kindling Restaurant in Brighton. Looking at how to recognise truly sustainable ingredients and not get fooled by greenwashing.

How to recognise truly sustainable ingredients (and not get fooled by greenwashing)

In a world that’s ever more focused on sustainability, choosing ingredients that are kinder to the environment has never been more important. But how can you really tell if what you’re buying will make a difference, and that the claims aren’t just marketing hype?

Holly Taylor is co-founder of Kindling Restaurant in Brighton. Kindling is about more than just the delicious food, it is a community of people: staff, customers and suppliers all sharing and celebrating local produce. Nature writes the menu as the seasons inspire the dishes. Kindling is featured in the Michelin Guide and is a member of the Sustainable Restaurants Association.

3 WAYS TO KEEP GREENWASHING OUT OF YOUR SHOPPING BASKET

By Holly Taylor, chef and co-founder of Kindling Restaurant in Brighton

As environmental concerns rise, so too does the importance of our food choices. Increasingly, our food shops are being driven by more than the nutritional value of the items in our shopping baskets. In a world that’s ever more focused on sustainability, choosing ingredients that are kinder to the environment has never been more important. But how can you really tell if what you’re buying will make a difference, and that the claims aren’t just marketing hype?

Greenwashing is the concept of making an item seem to have less of a negative environmental impact than it does. Terms such as green, non-toxic, plant-based, plant-derived, pure, raw, healthy, all-natural all lead us to believe the product is a better choice. But they are often used to greenwash – this happens when the claims are unsubstantiated, only refer to a specific aspect of food production, or are entirely false.

As consumer demand for environmentally friendly products has risen, greenwashing has become increasingly common. This has led to growing consumer confusion, making it more difficult than ever to make genuinely sustainable choices.

So, what should you be looking out for?