Find out more about the eco-friendly credentials of some well-known brands in the beauty, cleaning, clothes and food industries, including Cafédirect, Ecover, Lush and Patagonia.

This article is written by Olivia Howes, Senior researcher & writer at Which?

Many of us keep an eye out for brands that appear to offer more sustainable choices when we’re shopping. But while the marketing often looks good, it’s difficult to know what’s genuine.

In February 2023 Which? asked over 4,000 Which? members about their perceptions of sustainable brands. Members who answered the survey told Which? the brands they consider to be more sustainable choices and gave their reasons why.

Some companies stood out as common choices from all sorts of retail industries, including beauty products, cleaning essentials, clothes and groceries.

While 57% of members told Which? they felt they only had a ‘fair’ understanding of sustainability, in practice they had a pretty sound idea of how brands were trying to be more sustainable.  

Some of the top reasons brands were viewed as more sustainable included their farming practices; the use of non-toxic ingredients; their approach to packaging and refills; certification such as Fairtrade or organic, and whether a company contributes to sustainability initiatives using its profits.

But Which? wanted to know whether these perceptions matched up with reality. Which? delved deeper into some of the brands that came out well in the survey to find out whether our members’ high expectations were justified.

Which? has focused on the beauty, cleaning, clothes and food brands that members highlighted as the most sustainable and looked behind the scenes at those brands’ sustainability initiatives and actions to give you an overview.

Read the full article here Green brands: how sustainable really are they? – Which?