12.11.2022

Pinkwashing: How Companies Profit off Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Pinkwashing is when a company uses that recognizable pink ribbon symbol or signature shade to market a product or service without meaningfully supporting breast cancer research or awareness. Pink imagery is now one of the most widely recognized marketing tools for breast cancer, but it’s not regulated by any agency, and its use does not necessarily mean the associated product effectively combats the breast cancer crisis. The vast majority of funding for breast cancer research comes from the federal government, not from the money raised by these types of marketing campaigns, according to Breast Cancer Consortium. And because it’s unregulated, how companies use the symbol or shade is up to them. Some beauty and wellness products sport pink ribbons to try and communicate that they are “healthy” and don’t contribute to breast cancer risks. Others use it to indicate that the company will or has donated a percentage of its profits to breast cancer programs or research. But there’s an asterisk there, too: Many don’t say how much they’ll donate or whether sales directly impact the size of the check they're cutting — some companies will cap the amount they'll share, no matter how much is sold. Pinkwashing campaigns also tend to focus on what individuals can do (and what they should buy to make themselves feel better about it). For example, many encourage people to get breast cancer screenings. While early detection does save lives, self-exams and mammograms don’t cure cancer, nor do they reduce the risk for the population in general. This shifts attention away from the corporations and industries that claim to support breast cancer research but actually contribute to the breast cancer epidemic by using ingredients that elevate breast cancer risk or donating to industries that do — not to mention legislators and regulatory agencies that allow for that to continue. If you’re interested in advancing research toward finding a cure for breast cancer, it’s always better to donate directly to organizations that are doing that work so you have a better sense of where your money is going. Credit: Brut.