Is the recycled plastic content in all the packaging we consume real?

You care about reducing the impact of consumerism and striving for a more sustainable world, just like us. Have you ever noticed that supermarket packaging that says ‘Up to 50% recycled’ or any other percentage?.

If you don’t look too closely, it all seems fine, but…. But what if I told you that it is nothing more than a form of misleading advertising used by companies? Because indeed, this type of indication on the packaging misleads us into thinking wrongly.

Incorrect way to indicate percentage recycled.

The correct way to indicate the percentage of this material would be ‘From 50% recycled’ as this second expression indicates the minimum reused content, unlike the first mentioned, which in reality could be 2%,20%, 30%,  40%… but which makes us systematically stick to 50%.

Correct way to indicate percentage recycled.

What products can have the minimum recycling content label?

It has been established by law that packaging may be marked with the minimum percentage of recycled material, provided that the information has been obtained through an auditable and certifiable assessment by an entity outside the packaging manufacturers and the producers themselves, such as EXTERNA, which is accredited to issue certification by the National Accreditation Body (ENAC) through the EN 15343  standard, which assesses the conformity and recycled plastic content of products.

This is not the only way to hide information in the world of labelling, we need to be careful how we present our product, as statements such as ‘environmentally friendly’ or any other equivalent that could lead to its being discarded in the environment are statements that are currently prohibited.

Which begs the question…. How much truthful information do we really have about the products we consume every day?.