- UK’s transition to a green economy is being undermined by a “language barrier”, as consumers struggle to understand technical terms like ‘bio-based’ and ‘compostable’, new research reveals
- The study, led by the University of Sheffield, found the language used to describe sustainable materials remains trapped in specialist and technical jargon, leaving most consumers unable to make confident, informed choices about sustainability
- A nationwide survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers, also analysed by the research team, revealed a growing disconnect between trust and understanding. 51 per cent of respondents stated they trusted compostability claims, yet only 22 per cent understood what actually happens to waste once it is collected
- The report, produced by BB-REG-NET, the UK’s first regulatory science network for bio-based materials sets out practical solutions for businesses and policymakers
A ‘language barrier’ is undermining the UK’s transition to a green economy, a new report has revealed.
The new study has found the UK’s sustainability efforts are stalling because consumers struggle to understand technical terms like ‘bioplastic’ and ‘bio-based’, allowing “greenwashing” to thrive in a vacuum created by linguistic confusion.
The study, led by the University of Sheffield, found the language used to describe sustainable materials remains trapped in specialist and technical jargon, leaving most consumers unable to make confident, informed choices about sustainability.
Published by BB-REG-NET, the UK’s first regulatory science network for bio-based and biodegradable materials, the report warns that unless communication improves, confusion, greenwashing and incorrect disposal will continue to undermine progress towards a circular bioeconomy.
Using large-scale linguistic analysis, the research showed words such as biodegradable, compostable and bio-based barely feature in everyday language. Analysis of Oxford English Dictionary data and a 52-billion-word corpus of contemporary English found:
- Biodegradable appears just 1.5 times per million words
- Compostable 0.5 times
- Bio-based 0.2 times
- Bioplastic 0.1 times
By comparison, everyday vocabulary typically appears hundreds of times per million words.
The research identifies this gap as a case of ‘hypocognition’ - a concept from cognitive linguistics describing what happens when people lack the mental frameworks needed to understand unfamiliar ideas.
Professor Joanna Gavins, Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Sheffield, who led the study said: “People want to make sustainable choices, but they are being asked to navigate language they simply don’t encounter often enough to understand. When terms are unfamiliar, inconsistent or poorly explained, people disengage – not because they don’t care, but because the system is working against them.”
A nationwide survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers, also analysed as part of the research, revealed a growing disconnect between trust and understanding:
- 51 per cent of respondents said they trusted compostability claims
- Yet only 22 per cent understood what actually happens to waste once it is collected
According to the report, this gap increases the risk of incorrect disposal, contaminates recycling streams and allows misleading claims to flourish.
Drawing on linguistic theory, focus group testing and behavioural research, the study sets out practical solutions for businesses and policymakers.
Key findings include:
- Negative disposal instructions (such as “Do not put in recycling”) are clearer and more effective than positive alternatives
- Instructions must be readable and actionable in 10 seconds or less
- The term “bioplastic” should be avoided altogether due to widespread misunderstanding
The report calls for a single, nationwide labelling system, legally supported definitions, and public-facing education that mirrors the successful rollout of recycling behaviour over previous decades.
Professor Gavins added: “Recycling wasn’t always second nature – it became normal through clear, consistent communication and repetition. Sustainable materials need the same treatment. The evidence shows we know how to fix this.”
Dr Thomas Baker, Specialist in Plastics at WRAP, said: “Clear, simple and consistent labelling is essential if we want people to dispose of biodegradable materials correctly. Without it, good intentions quickly turn into wrong behaviour.”
Katherine Manshreck, Senior Sustainability Strategist at Shellworks, added: “As biomaterials become more advanced, consumers may not even realise a product is compostable unless the language is crystal clear. Labels now matter more than ever.”
The University of Sheffield research also stresses that better labels alone are not enough. It calls for positive public storytelling that recognises the role consumers play in building a circular economy – using media, advertising and digital platforms to reinforce understanding beyond the point of purchase.
The report also highlights the role of national media in shaping informed debate about sustainable materials at a time when public trust in environmental claims is increasingly fragile.
To read the report in full please visit: https://bb-reg-net.org.uk/resource-hub/
