Part 1 - Option 1 - Question 2 · Inglés PAU Cantabria Ordinaria 2026

Greenwashing

1 Being green is big business, with one study showing that 66% of consumers worldwide are willing to pay more for products they believe to be socially and environmentally responsible. However, shoppers should exercise caution when shopping sustainably, as much of the language companies use to sell their products is not what it seems. The practice of greenwashing involves companies making misleading or exaggerated environmental statements about their products in order to gain a competitive advantage over similar items on supermarket shelves. "Companies are under a lot of pressure to become eco-friendly because consumers are looking for this," explains eco-influencer Mandy Spooner, "so they present a 'greener' image of themselves through advertising and packaging."

2 Some of the marketing tricks companies use include natural-looking imagery and vague terminology. For example, terms like biodegradable and compostable are often more complicated than they appear, as many products cannot be processed in a household compost bin and instead need specific commercial conditions to break down. Another strong example of a commonly greenwashed product is bottled water. Despite being marketed as clean and pure, the water industry drains local natural resources and uses vast quantities of petrol, shipping their "product" thousands of kilometres around the world. It is also a significant contributor to plastic waste. Just because a plastic water bottle is recyclable does not mean it will be.

3 A significant fallout of greenwashing is that it can erode consumer confidence, as Spooner explains: "When companies make sustainability claims that turn out to be false, they not only damage their own reputation but also brands genuinely committed to doing the right thing." Greenwashing can have serious consequences. To tackle this issue, the UK government recently published the Green Claims Code, a set of guidelines to help companies comply with the law and clearly communicate their environmental credentials.

4 So, how can consumers ensure they are buying truly sustainable products? A simple rule Spooner recommends is to always check the labels on the packaging and contact brands if their sustainability claims are vague or hard to understand: "It only takes a couple of minutes to email a company with a question or two." Spooner believes consumers have an obligation to ensure the products they buy are ethical and sustainable, as "the choices we make today can have a profound impact on the future." She explains, "Being a mum absolutely informs my decisions. I try to live sustainably for my children and for generations to come."

Adapted from Yahoo! News, December 2025

Question 2 [2 points]

Choose and answer only TWO of the following questions in your own words according to the text.

A.

Why do companies engage in greenwashing? Give at least two reasons.

B.

What are the problems with companies labelling their products as biodegradable and compostable?

C.

How can shoppers know that the products they buy are sustainable?