I have just moved to Manila, and went shopping for household basics in the truly enormous Trinoma mall yesterday. I searched in vain for recycled toilet paper, settling at last with one half written in Chinese and Korean script, with a picture of an earth and an explanation of how recycled paper saves trees. Sharing the shelf with this cryptic number was possibly the most outrageous green-washing claim I have ever come across – “the eco-layer 3-ply toilet paper” – the tagline: “nothing but 100% pure plantation pulp will even touch you, but nestled in the middle is our special eco-layer made from recycled paper, so you can have the comfort of the highest quality paper while knowing you are doing your bit for the planet”.

Should I take some comfort from the fact that manufacturers clearly think they need to state their green credentials? Or just be outraged that anyone may actually think that they have made a legitimate environmental claim?