This week I looked more closely at everyday tissue products — Tempo, Softis, and a store brand. The outer multipack for Tempo shows the FSC logo, CO₂ claims, and recyclability symbols. But the individual pocket packs — the ones consumers actually see every day — show none of this. No FSC.
Just plastic‑related icons and mandatory packaging labels.
Softis shows the same pattern: Plastic messaging takes up more space than the FSC label.
This means:
Sustainable forestry is visible at the moment of purchase — but invisible at the moment of use.
And when consumers don’t see a message repeatedly, they don’t remember it. No wonder my informal test (20+ people) showed zero recognition of the FSC logo.
Independent studies confirm this:
- Too many sustainability claims create confusion and overload.
- Competing eco‑messages reduce the impact of certified materials.
- When “everything looks green,” consumers stop paying attention.
- Information overload lowers willingness to pay for sustainable products.
In other words:
The more symbols we add, the less consumers understand.
And the FSC logo — which should communicate responsible forestry — gets drowned out by CO₂ and plastic‑related messaging.
This is a warning sign for the Digital Product Passport. If consumers already struggle to notice a single FSC logo, how will they interpret dozens of data fields, indicators, and codes?
Europe doesn’t need more complexity. It needs clearer communication and real consumer education.
Sustainable cellulose has a powerful story to tell — renewable forests, regenerating land, biodegradable fibers, no microplastics, better comfort.But if we bury that story under layers of packaging claims, we lose the shopper entirely.
