Climate Change and Marketing: Why Brands Need to Be Clear, Specific and Useful

Climate change is no longer a distant issue for brands. It is already shaping consumer habits, regulation, supply chains and the way businesses talk about their products.

That creates a challenge for marketers.

Customers are more aware of environmental issues, but they are also more sceptical of vague green claims. Regulators are paying closer attention. Weather patterns are changing. Supply chains are under more pressure. Brands that talk about climate without care risk losing trust.

The answer is not to say nothing. It is to say less, but say it better.

Climate Change Is Already Affecting the UK

The UK climate is changing. The Met Office says the UK has been warming by about 0.25°C per decade since the 1980s, and that temperature extremes have become more frequent and more intense in recent decades. It also says the last three years have all been in the UK’s top five warmest on record.

That matters for businesses because climate change is not only an environmental issue. It affects how people live, travel, shop and plan. Hotter summers, heavier rainfall and more extreme weather can change demand for products, disrupt events, affect delivery and alter how customers think about what they buy.

For outdoor brands, countrywear businesses, food and drink companies, events, hospitality and ecommerce retailers, weather has always mattered. Climate change makes that link harder to ignore.

Customers Care, But They Want Better Claims

Sustainability still matters to customers, but brands should not assume that broad claims will be believed.

Deloitte’s research into sustainable consumer behaviour says there is an opportunity for businesses to help move customers towards more sustainable choices. But the same research also points to signs of consumer fatigue, with some consumers showing less interest in sustainability than in previous years.

Kantar’s Marketing Trends 2025 report says 93% of consumers globally say they want to live a more sustainable lifestyle. It also says marketers have often struggled to turn sustainability into clear propositions and communications that resonate with customers.

That is the key point. Customers may care, but they do not want empty language. They want clear information they can use.

Green Claims Are Under Scrutiny

Environmental marketing claims are now a regulatory issue as well as a brand issue.

The Competition and Markets Authority says its Green Claims Code is designed to help businesses understand their obligations when making environmental claims. The code says claims should be accurate, clear and supported by evidence.

The Advertising Standards Authority also says marketers must base environmental claims on the full life cycle of the advertised product unless the marketing clearly states otherwise. If a wider claim cannot be justified, the ASA says a narrower claim about a specific part of the product may be acceptable.

This matters because many brands get into trouble by saying too much.

A product with recycled packaging is not automatically a sustainable product. A brand using one lower-impact material cannot assume the whole range is low impact. A business that supports a climate-related cause still needs to be clear about the product itself.

Good marketing should not stretch the claim. It should explain it.

Specific Beats Vague

The best climate-related marketing is usually specific.

Instead of saying a product is “eco-friendly”, a brand might say the packaging is recyclable, the item is made from a named recycled material, the product can be repaired, or the business has reduced transport miles in a specific part of its process.

That is more useful for customers. It is also safer for the brand.

In 2024, the CMA secured commitments from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda over green claims after investigating concerns about how environmental credentials were shown to customers. Reuters reported that the retailers agreed to make claims clearer and more specific, including avoiding vague terms unless they were properly explained.

The lesson for smaller brands is simple. Do not make the claim bigger than the action.

If you have changed your packaging, say that. If you are working with local suppliers, explain where and why. If you are reducing waste, give the detail. If you are still working on parts of the business, say what is being worked on.

Climate Change Also Changes Customer Needs

Climate change is not only something brands talk about. It can change what customers need.

Warmer, wetter or more unpredictable weather can affect product demand. Customers may look for clothing that works across seasons, products that last longer, packaging that can handle disrupted delivery, or services that feel more resilient.

For countrywear and outdoor brands, this matters. Products may need to be shown outside, not just styled for a campaign. Waterproofing, breathability, durability, repair, layering and product care become more than technical details. They become part of the value.

For e-commerce brands, climate pressure may also affect stock planning, delivery, packaging and customer communication. If the weather disrupts fulfilment or events, customers need clear updates.

Marketing should reflect the reality customers are living in.

Brands Should Avoid Climate as a Costume

Some brands use climate language because it sounds current. That is risky.

If the issue is not connected to the business, the product or the customer, it can feel forced. If the claim is broad and unsupported, it can damage trust. If the campaign talks about climate while ignoring the basics of product quality, service or value, it may not help the customer make a decision.

Climate-related marketing works best when it starts with the business itself.

What is actually being done? What has changed? What can be proved? What does the customer need to know? What is still in progress?

Those questions matter more than polished language.

Good Climate Marketing Is Practical

Brands do not need to make every campaign about climate change. Most should not.

But climate-related decisions can appear across the customer journey. Product pages can explain materials and care. Email can talk about repairs, reuse or product life. Paid ads can highlight specific features without making broad claims. Blog content can answer customer questions. Packaging can make disposal or recycling clearer.

This is marketing that helps the customer.

It does not ask people to admire the brand. It gives them information they can use.

The Role of Small Brands

Small brands may not be able to solve climate change, but they can communicate more clearly about the choices they make.

That might mean explaining why a product is made in the UK, how packaging has changed, why a garment is designed to last, how customers can care for a product, or what the business is doing to reduce waste.

The important thing is not to overstate it.

At Forty and Co, we help small brands make their message clear across paid social, ecommerce, content and customer journeys. When climate is part of that message, it needs to be grounded in real decisions and plain language.

Because climate change is changing the way customers think.

Brands that want to be trusted need to show what they are doing, not just say what they believe.