45 Greenwashing Statistics You Need to Know in 2026

Greenwashing — when companies overstate or falsify their environmental credentials — has become one of the most pressing challenges in corporate sustainability. As regulations tighten and public scrutiny intensifies, brands are under growing pressure to back up their sustainability claims with evidence.

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From rising regulatory crackdowns to shifting consumer sentiment, these 45 must-know statistics provide a comprehensive snapshot of the state of greenwashing globally in 2026.

Global Trends & Scope of Greenwashing

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1. In 2023, one in every four climate-related ESG risk incidents was tied to greenwashing, an increase from one in five in the year prior. (RepRisk, 2023).
2. For the first time in six years, there was a 12% annual decrease in greenwashing globally, across all sectors, in June 2024. (RepRisk, 2024).
3. The repeat offender rate for EU companies engaging in greenwashing stands at 39% in 2024, considerably higher than the global average of nearly 30%. By contrast, the UK’s repeat offender rate was lower, with just over 21% of companies reoffending. (RepRisk, 2023;RepRisk, 2024).
4. Private companies represent 70% of greenwashing cases in Europe and North America (RepRisk, 2024).
5. RepRisk identified 1,841 incidents of misleading communication globally in 2024, with 56% involving environmental issues (RepRisk, 2024).
6.  A 2020 EU study found that 53% of the environmental claims made about products it examined were vague, misleading, or unfounded; 40% were completely unsubstantiated by data or other evidence. (OliverWyman, 2024)

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Sectoral Insights

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7. The oil and gas sector is most frequently associated with greenwashing, accounting for 14% of 2024 incidents (RepRisk, 2024;Sustainability Mag, 2024).
8. The fashion industry is also a major greenwashing offender, and is responsible for 10% of yearly carbon emissions (GreenMatch, 2023). 
9. The energy sector is perceived by 58% of consumers as the most likely to engage in greenwashing, followed closely by the fashion industry at 57%. ​ (KPMG, 2023). 
10. An InfluenceMap report found that the five largest publicly-traded oil and gas majors invested over $1Bn of shareholder funds on misleading climate-related branding and lobbying. (LobbyMap, 2022).
11.  In the EU’s Banking and Financial Services sector, climate-related greenwashing incidents declined by 20% in 2024, a likely consequence of stricter regulations. (RepRisk, 2024).
12.  An analysis revealed that companies like Shell spent 81% of their advertising on greenwashing claims, promoting sustainability, while still investing 80% of their funds in oil and gas, exposing a stark contrast between their public claims and actual practices. (GreenPeace, 2025)
13.  A Harvard investigation revealed that 67% of social media posts by oil, car, and airline companies painted a 'green innovation' narrative, representing various extents of greenwashing. (GreenPeace, 2022)

Regional Comparisons

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14.  In 2024 the EU experienced a more substantial 20% decline in greenwashing incidents, potentially due to stricter regulations like the EU’s Green Claims Directive ​(HKA, 2025).
15. The Netherlands saw the largest reduction in greenwashing cases among EU member states, with cases falling by 48%. (RepRisk, 2024).
16.  France experienced an increase in greenwashing cases of nearly 11% in 2024, partly linked to the Paris Olympics. (RepRisk, 2024).
17. In the UK, greenwashing incidents reduced nearly 4% in 2024, but this remains 179% higher than 2018 levels. (Sustainability Mag, 2024). 
18. A report from RepRisk found that in the United States, the number of companies linked to greenwashing in 2024 increased by just under 6%, about 4% less than in 2023. (RepRisk, 2024;Sustainability Mag, 2024). 
19.  For European, Asian, and North American companies, approximately 54% of greenwashing risk incidents in 2022 were linked to climate change, GHG emissions, and global pollution (RepRisk, 2023). 
20.  For companies headquartered in Latin America and the Caribbean, only 27% of greenwashing risk incidents in 2022 were linked to climate (RepRisk, 2023). 

Consumer Perceptions & Trust

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21.  A global survey revealed that 91% of consumers believe at least some brands engage in greenwashing, indicating widespread distrust in environmental marketing claims. (WhatTheyThink, 2025).
22. ​Over half (54%) of UK consumers are prepared to boycott brands over misleading green claims, with almost one in five having already changed their purchasing decisions due to greenwashing. (KPMG, 2023).
23.  A third of UK consumers (33%) express skepticism about green labels and sustainability claims, while 28% struggle to identify genuinely sustainable products due to inconsistent labeling, underscoring the need for clearer standards. (KPMG, 2023).
24.  81% of consumers research a brand before buying, meaning misleading claims can directly damage a company’s reputation. (British Furniture Association, 2024).
25. Around two-thirds of consumers in Mexico (66%) and Canada (65%) express mistrust toward brands' environmental claims, reflecting significant skepticism in these markets. (YouGov, 2023). 
26.  88% of American Gen Z consumers express distrust in brands' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) claims, highlighting the importance of authenticity for younger demographics. ​(McKinsey, 2022). 
27. KPMG found that over half (54%) of their survey respondents state that they would stop buying products and services from companies found to have greenwashed, while 38% would stop investing in them (KPMG, 2023). 

Regulatory & Legal Action

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28.  The UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill allows civil penalties of up to 10% of global turnover for misleading claims - including greenwashing (Duncan & Toplis, 2024). 
29. Volkswagen’s emissions scandal cost the company $34.69 billion (CleanHub, 2024). 
30. Toyota was fined $180 million for violating the EPA's emission-reporting requirements (CleanHub, 2024). 
31.  Vanguard, a global funds giant, was fined $12.9 million by the Federal Court of Australia for misleading investors about its adherence to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria (Bird & Bird, 2024).
32.  93% of Canadians support legislation that penalises companies for making unproven environmental claims, indicating strong public demand for corporate accountability (Greenpeace, 2024). 

Corporate Accountability & Investor Perspectives

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33. 58% of global executives admit their companies have overstated sustainability efforts and engaged in greenwashing, rising to 72% for North American companies (Google Cloud, 2022). 
34.  Only 36% of CEOs say they have measurement tools in place to quantify their sustainability efforts, and just 17% are using those measurements to optimize based on results (GoogleCloud, 2022). 
35.  85% of investors report that greenwashing and similar misleading statements about company sustainability performance is a greater problem than it was 5 years ago (ESG Today, 2024). 
36. ACSI data shows firms accused of greenwashing suffer and average 1.34% decline in consumer trust (Harvard Business Review, 2022). 
37. 18% of companies linked to greenwashing in the period from September 2018 – September 2023 were also linked to social washing, increasing to 31% when only publicly listed companies are considered (RepRisk, 2023). 
38. According to a report from OneAdvanced, 43% of respondents in 2021 believed that their company was guilty of greenwashing (OneAdvanced, 2022). 

Severity & Emerging Patterns

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39.  High-severity greenwashing is when companies deliberately hide ESG violations through deceptive tactics, causing serious harm or penalties. High-severity greenwashing cases globally surged by over 30% in 2024 (RepRisk, 2024). 
40.  Despite a decline in overall incidents in the EU, Europe and North America experienced a 27% increase in high-severity greenwashing cases in 2024 (HKA, 2025). 
41.  Nearly 30% of all companies globally linked to greenwashing in 2023 were also flagged in 2024. (RepRisk, 2024)

Public Awareness & Behaviour Shifts

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42.  Globally, 52% of people report seeing or hearing false or misleading information about brands' sustainable actions (Kantar, 2023). 
43.  60% of consumers view social media companies as the worst green washing offenders (Kantar, 2023). 
44.  42% of US  consumers visit thrift shops to achieve sustainability goals. The global second-hand market share is expected to reach $350 (£274) billion by 2028, with an estimated growth of 12% per annum  (GreenMatch, 2023). 
45.  A KPMG UK survey found that 76% of over 2,000 respondents believe false or misleading sustainability claims are the clearest example of greenwashing (KPMG, 2023). 

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Greenwashing continues to challenge the credibility of corporate sustainability efforts. Despite modest declines in some regions, the severity and sophistication of deceptive practices are on the rise.

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With stricter laws emerging across Europe, North America, and beyond — and consumer trust at an all-time low — companies face mounting pressure to provide verifiable proof of their environmental performance.

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Authenticity and transparency are no longer optional: they’re the foundation of modern brand integrity.