Localwashing is the New Greenwashing Utne Reader

When ideas gain speed in the marketplace, marketers take note. So when the natural food movement became popular, we all noticed more "All Natural" stickers popping up on our grocer's shelves. Likewise with eco-products, greenwashing soon became a phenomenon. Now, there's another phenom to look out for: Localwashing...

We read this article from the Utne Reader with mouths agape; are corporations really sinking their teeth into the marketing niche for local products?

We're big believers of shopping locally—not only does it support the local community, but it also means that goods have traveled much shorter distances to make it to our tables or into our pantry. We'd like to think we're pretty good judges of what is truly local, but now we'll be doubly sure to check that our local products really are local.

The good news? Corporations wouldn't feel a need to do this if, well, buying local wasn't getting so darn popular. That makes us pretty happy—organics, natural products, and local foods are becoming so popular with the public that even the big marketers are taking note.

But be sure to pay close attention to labels and educate yourself on what's locally available in your area. An informed shopper is the best defense against localwashing!

(Image: Flickr member di_the_huntress licensed under Creative Commons.)