Green or Greenwashed? What Nobody Tells You About Eco-Friendly Packaging Claims

Walk into any supermarket and look at the bags, boxes, and wrappers around you.
A lot of them say things like “eco-friendly”, “biodegradable”, or “good for the planet.”

But here’s the truth:
Most of the time, those words are just… words.

And in India, while rules exist, they are still evolving and not always strictly enforced.

 

Are words like “eco-friendly” or “green” even legal in India?

Yes — but only if you can prove them.

In 2024, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) released guidelines to regulate misleading environmental claims:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2064963

These guidelines clearly state:

• Terms like eco-friendly, green, sustainable must be backed by evidence
• Claims must not be vague or exaggerated
• Misleading claims can be treated as unfair trade practices

Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019:
https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/sites/default/files/Consumer_Protection_Act_2019.pdf

Misleading environmental claims can attract penalties.

 

But here’s what’s happening in reality:

A study by the Advertising Standards Council of India found that around 79 percent of environmental or “green” claims made by companies were exaggerated or misleading.
This shows that greenwashing is not rare, but actually very common in the Indian market.
ASCI has also been actively issuing guidelines and taking action against brands making unverified eco-friendly claims to improve transparency.
In simple terms, most “green” claims you see are not fully reliable unless they are backed by proper proof or certification.

So yes, rules exist — but greenwashing is still very common.

 

The sneaky plastic trick you’ve probably never heard of

Here’s one that surprises most people. Some plastics are labelled “degradable” which sounds great, right? It’s breaking down!

Except it doesn’t actually disappear. It just breaks into tinier and tinier pieces of plastic so small you can’t see them. These are called microplastics and they end up in soil, rivers, and even the food we eat. So “degradable” can actually mean “turns into invisible pollution.” Not quite what the label suggests.

Many of these are oxo-degradable plastics, which break into microplastics.

The European Commission confirmed this:
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/oxo-degradable-plastics_en

Because of this, the EU banned oxo-degradable plastics:
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics/single-use-plastics_en

So “degradable” often means:
It turns into invisible plastic pollution.

Microplastics: The material that “never goes away”

What Indian law actually says

India regulates compostable plastics under the Plastic Waste Management Rules:

https://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PWM-Rules-2016.pdf

Compostable plastics must:

• Meet IS/ISO 17088 standard
• Be certified by CPCB
• Be properly labelled

CPCB certification details:
https://cpcb.nic.in/compostable-plastics/

If a product claims compostability without certification, it is misleading.

 

What real eco-friendly packaging looks like

Real sustainability = proof.

Look for:

• IS/ISO 17088 (India standard)
• CPCB certification
• ASTM D6400
• EN 13432

Important clarification:

• BPI Certified = global compostability verification
  https://bpiworld.org
• But in India, CPCB approval is mandatory

 

One more thing people get wrong about composting

Even genuinely compostable packaging doesn’t all work the same way. Some types need a special industrial composting facility with very specific heat and conditions to break down properly. Others can break down in a regular home compost bin.

If a bag needs an industrial facility but ends up in your garden pile, it might just sit there doing nothing. So when a product says “compostable,” it’s worth asking. Compostable where, exactly?

A simple check before you believe any green claim

Next time you see an eco-label, ask three things:

Does it name a real certification? Or just say “eco-friendly”?

Does it explain how and where it breaks down?

Is the actual material mentioned by name?

If the answers are vague or missing entirely, it’s probably greenwashing.

Quick reference table

The claim	The red flag	The green flag
Biodegradable	No timeframe or proof	ASTM D6400 / EN 13432 certified
Earth-friendly	Just a vague feeling	Clear material info on the label
Degradable	Likely breaks into microplastics	Certified compostable
Compostable	No certification shown	BPI Certified / ISO 17088
Eco-friendly	No explanation at all	Full breakdown info provided

At GreenKraft Bioplast, we think honesty matters more than pretty labels.

We are a packaging manufacturer based in Sachin GIDC, Surat, and we hear these questions from clients all the time. Right now we make recycled plastic packaging and we are going through the proper certification process for compostable products, because we would rather do it right than do it fast.

Real sustainability isn’t about what’s printed on the bag. It’s about what’s actually in it and what happens to it after.

Quick FAQ