Every brand claims to be green now. The problem is, consumers have noticed.
I ran a study with 6 Canadian consumers to understand how they navigate eco-friendly household products. The findings reveal a trust crisis that's making it harder for genuinely clean brands to stand out.
The Participants
Six Canadians aged 28-55. Regular purchasers of household cleaning products who express interest in eco-friendly options. They want to make better choices, but they've been burned by greenwashing before.
The Greenwashing Backlash
Skepticism is the default setting now.
Every brand claims to be green now. Show me the receipts.
This phrase captures the market reality. Eco-claims have been so overused that they've lost meaning. Consumers assume brands are exaggerating until proven otherwise.
The result: genuinely sustainable brands are fighting an uphill battle against the sins of less scrupulous competitors.
Key insight: Green claims are no longer differentiators. They're noise that consumers filter out.
Ingredients Over Certifications
An unexpected finding: eco-certifications matter less than ingredient transparency.
I want to know what's IN it, not what logo is on it.
Consumers have learned that certifications can be gamed. A logo on a bottle doesn't tell them what they're actually bringing into their home. What builds trust is the ability to read and understand the ingredient list.
This represents a shift from trusting institutions to trusting their own judgment.
Can I pronounce the ingredients?
Are there ingredients I recognise?
Is the list short or suspiciously long?
Does the product explain what each ingredient does?
Key insight: Ingredient transparency beats third-party certifications. Consumers want to verify for themselves.
Refill Programs Drive Loyalty
One clear path to trust emerged: refill programs.
If I can refill it, I feel less guilty about buying it.
Refills represent a concrete action, not a claim. They demonstrate commitment to sustainability in a way that's visible and verifiable. Consumers can see that less plastic is being used.
But refill programs come with their own challenges. Convenience matters. If the refill process is too complicated or the refill stations are too far away, good intentions don't translate to behaviour.
Key insight: Refill programs build trust through action. They're proof of commitment that consumers can see and verify.
What This Means for Eco-Friendly Brands
Lead with ingredients, not claims. Let consumers verify your commitment themselves.
Be specific about sustainability. Vague 'eco-friendly' claims are ignored. Specific actions are noticed.
Invest in refill infrastructure. It's tangible proof that builds trust over time.
Acknowledge the greenwashing problem. Being honest about industry issues builds credibility.
The Bottom Line
The eco-friendly household products market is suffering from a trust deficit. Too many brands have made too many vague claims, and consumers have learned to be skeptical of everything.
The brands that will win are those that move beyond claims to proof. Ingredient transparency, refill programs, and specific sustainability metrics give consumers something to verify. In a market drowning in greenwashing, proof is the only differentiator.
Want to test your eco-positioning with real consumers? Ditto lets you run studies like this in hours, not weeks. Book a demo at askditto.io.
What the Research Revealed
We asked real consumers to share their thoughts. Here's what they told us:
When it comes to cleaning products, is effectiveness or eco-friendliness more important? Would you accept a slightly less effective cleaner if it was genuinely better for the environment?
Fabian Moore, 41, Plant Manager, Rochester Hills city, MI, USA:
Short answer: effectiveness wins, eco is the tiebreaker. I’m not trading real cleaning for a green halo. I’ll accept a slight hit if the environmental gain is legit and the workflow does not bog down. My thresholds: Non-negotiable: for heavy jobs - baked-on oven grease, gnarly grout, bio-mess - performance first. For daily wipe-downs, I’ll give up a hair of speed if it cuts fumes and plastic without leaving film. Net: clean first, green when it proves itself.
Marc Machuca, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Akron, OH, USA:
Short answer: effectiveness first. If it doesn’t cut grime the first pass, I’m mad, my hands crack, and the house still smells weird. It’s icy out, I’m tired, I’m not doing extra scrubs for a pretty leaf logo. Would I accept a drop in power for the planet? Sometimes. If it’s truly better and still 90% as good, I’ll live with it on light jobs. If it’s bathroom or coop, nope. Where I’ll trade a bit: No trade off: If the “eco” one is refills, septic safe, light citrus, and costs a buck or two more, ok. If it makes me wait 10 minutes and still leaves a film, olvídalo. Lo que funciona. I’ll believe the planet part when the bottle proves it in my kitchen, not in a commercial.
Brandon Garcia, 36, Facilities Manager, Norfolk, VA, USA:
Short answer: effectiveness comes first. If it does not cut soil in one pass, it is not green - it is wasted labor, water, and product. Would I accept a small trade-off? Yeah, with limits: So I’ll use the milder stuff for daily wipe downs and keep a stronger product for heavy grease or actual disinfecting. But if a “green” bottle needs twice the elbow grease, it is just duct tape on a cracked block.
Would you pay significantly more for a cleaning product that is certified eco-friendly vs. a regular product that claims to be "natural"? What makes you believe one claim over another?
Brandon Garcia, 36, Facilities Manager, Norfolk, VA, USA:
Short answer: no, I am not paying a big premium for a leaf on the label. I will pay a small bump if the cert ties to real specs, it is a concentrate, and my cost per use stays tight. At home, maybe 10-15% more if it keeps fumes down so Pepper is not sneezing and it does not haze the stainless. At work, I will pay more only if it hits procurement requirements or measurably drops VOCs and complaints. What makes me believe it: "Natural" by itself means nothing. Poison ivy is natural. Give me numbers or it is just duct tape on a cracked block.
Fabian Moore, 41, Plant Manager, Rochester Hills city, MI, USA:
Short answer: small premium, not a big one. If the cert is real and the formula cleans as well or better, I’ll pay a bit more. I’m not doubling my spend for a leaf logo and a vague “natural” blurb. What makes me believe one claim over another: Net: “Certified eco” can earn a modest premium if it proves itself and lowers plastic and fumes. “Natural” on the label without receipts gets a hard pass. If the cert is lipstick on a weak formula, that is rework, not value.
Marc Machuca, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Akron, OH, USA:
Short answer: no. I’m not paying a “green tax.” I’ll pay a buck or two more if it’s certified and it works first pass. If it’s five bucks more, olvídalo. It’s freezing, my hands crack, I’m not scrubbing twice in this cold. Certified vs “natural”: the certified one gets a small edge. “Natural” on a brown bottle with leaf art means nothing to me. Show me proof or move on. What makes me believe it: So yeah, I’d pay a little more for a real certified one if it cleans the bathroom and the gallinero without me redoing it. “Natural” by itself... no me marees con hojas verdes. I still keep vinegar, baking soda, a basic dish soap, and bleach for stomach bugs. Lo que funciona. Now I’m thinking about the rug... I should check if the mop heads are dry.
When buying cleaning products, how much do eco-friendly or natural claims actually influence your purchase? Do you trust these claims or view them skeptically?
Latoya Burson, 36, Chef, Rural, MI, USA:
I notice the eco labels, but I buy on price and whether it works. If it’s same cost, fine, I’ll try it; if it’s extra, hard pass. I don’t really trust the bottle talk - I trust what I see at home and what folks at work say. I keep vinegar for daily wipe-downs and grab bleach when the mess is real.
Fabian Moore, 41, Plant Manager, Rochester Hills city, MI, USA:
Short answer: performance first, eco second. I start skeptical because most of those labels read like marketing wallpaper, but I’ll bite if the product proves itself at home. Net: I buy what works. Eco is a tiebreaker, not the driver. If it cleans better and costs the same or less, great. If not, pass.
Marc Machuca, 44, Stay-at-Home Parent, Akron, OH, USA:
Short answer: not much. I look at the green leaves on the bottle, I squint, I sigh, and I grab what I know works. If the price is close and it doesn’t stink up the house, I’ll pick the “natural” one. If it’s two bucks more, nope. How I actually decide: Do I trust the claims? Like 3 out of 10. “Fragrance-free” and “no dyes” I believe. “Plant-based” and “earth friendly” with a leaf logo and a brown bottle... I roll my eyes. Half of that is just marketing. If they show exactly what’s in it and it doesn’t smell like the candle aisle, ok. If it’s vague, it’s a nope. What I actually use most days: vinegar and hot water for glass and floors, baking soda for stink, a basic dish soap for grease, and yeah, a strong cleaner with bleach when the house gets hit with a stomach bug or the gallinero n
