TalkTalk accused of “Greenwash”

Eco-friendly paper champion Two Sides has accused TalkTalk of a 'Greenwash';  promoting its campaign to encourage public to switch from paper billing to digital correspondence as environmentally-friendly is unsubstantiated. Two Sides claims that TalkTalk has failed to respond to correspondence on the topic and has informed the company that it plans to take the matter to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Sustainable paper initiative Two Sides has reached out to telecoms group Talk Talk over misleading ‘greenwash’ claims

Two Sides wrote to Talk Talk’s chief executive, Baroness Harding, after it came to the organisation’s attention that the telecoms group was encouraging customers to switch from paper documents to e-documents with the statement: “Remember, by receiving your bills online, rather than in the post, you save £22 a year – plus you’re helping save a few trees!”



Part of Two Sides’ role involves debunking claims that switching from paper to digital correspondence is better for the environment, a claim that is unsubstantiated. Two Sides informed TalkTalk that it was ‘concerned that incorrect and damaging impressions are being given out by initiatives such as [Talk Talk], adding that while it can see the efficiency of electronic communications, promoting them as environmentally-friendly is inaccurate and misleading.

I believe we have supplied you with ample evidence that your current claims are "Greenwash" and that you have no evidence ”

However, Talk Talk failed to respond to the initial correspondence, and leading director of Two Sides Martyn Eustace is to issue a follow up letter outlining his disappointment at the lack of communication and informing the business of plans to take the matter to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).



In the letter, Eustace states: “I believe we have supplied you with ample evidence that your current claims are "Greenwash" and that you have no evidence, which compares the total life cycle impact of print and electronic communications including hardware manufacture and disposal, to support your claim that e-billing is environmentally preferable to printed bills.



“Please be assured that Two Sides is undertaking this step reluctantly as we have no intention to cause unnecessary negative publicity for Talk Talk or undermine any good reasons for driving customers towards e-billing for cost or efficiency reasons. But the potential damage to the print and paper industry, by suggesting that print media is environmentally unfriendly, requires our strongest response.”

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