Wishcycling: how ‘eco-friendly’ labels confuse shoppers and make recycling less effective

By Anastasia Vayona, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Science and Policy, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University

Have you ever thrown something in the recycling bin, hoping it’s recyclable? Maybe a toothpaste tube, bubble wrap or plastic toy labelled “eco-friendly”?

This common practice, known as “wishcycling”, might seem harmless. But my colleagues and I have published research that shows misleading environmental claims by companies are making recycling more confusing – and less effective.

This kind of…

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