Fact Sheets

Unmasking Sustainability Myths

“Climate neutral” // “Eco-friendly” // “Sustainable choice” // “Ethically produced”

These phrases appear on packaging, in advertisements, and across social media. They sound responsible. Reassuring. Modern.

But what do they actually mean — and what do they leave out?

The ECOGAGE Fact Sheets take a closer look at common sustainability claims from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. They unpack what is evidence-based, what depends on context, and where trade-offs matter. Not to discredit — but to clarify.

Each Fact Sheet focuses on one concrete topic and breaks it down in a structured, accessible way. You’ll find clear explanations, relevant background information, and key questions to consider before making a decision.

The goal is not to give you ready-made answers.
It’s to strengthen your ability to assess information independently — and to recognise when sustainability is more complex than it first appears.

Because informed choices begin with understanding the full picture.

Discover the factsheets here:

Choose your language

The ECOGAGE Fact Sheets are available in English, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Slovenian, making it easier to explore sustainability topics in your own language. Simply select your preferred version below.

Investigating Public Understanding of Sustainability Claims

Before developing the ECOGAGE Fact Sheets, the project consortium carried out a transnational research study to better understand how adults perceive sustainability claims and where confusion or misconceptions arise in everyday decision-making. The research explored how people interpret common claims such as “climate neutral”, “eco-friendly”, or “sustainable choice” and examined which types of sustainability messages are perceived as trustworthy, convincing, or misleading.

The study combined surveys and interviews with adults from the partner countries and was complemented by desk research on sustainability communication in media, marketing, and everyday life. The analysis identified recurring patterns such as vague terminology, exaggerated promises, misleading visuals, and the omission of important contextual information.

The findings revealed a clear gap between sustainability awareness and the ability to critically assess sustainability-related information. Many participants expressed a strong interest in sustainable living, but also uncertainty about which claims can actually be trusted and how to evaluate environmental trade-offs in practice.

These insights now form the foundation for the ECOGAGE Fact Sheets currently under development. The Fact Sheets build directly on the identified misconceptions and aim to strengthen critical thinking, media literacy, and informed decision-making in relation to sustainability communication.