Business
Healthwashing, farmwashing, greenwashing and even sanewashing
by Sanath Nanayakkare
The UK government has woken up to the practice of healthwashing that some companies indulge in marketing their products by adding certain attributes in the marketing spin, according to an article in the Cambridge dictionary blog.
“Healthwashing is a practice where products such as food and vitamins are labelled in a way that suggests they are healthier than they actually are. By doing this, they increase the price of the product by a significant percentage and prey on the consumers by taking advantage of their health concerns,” it notes.
Delving deeper into the less than honest practice of using the suffix- washing- in marketing spin, the blog points out that Farmwashing is another practice where a company gives the impression that its products come from small, local, family-run farms, when this is not actually the case. Organic veg box company Riverford has teamed up with a group of British farmers to launch a new fairness campaign called “Farmers Against Farmwashing” aimed at exposing misleading supermarket “farmwashing” practices – where major supermarkets use fake farm brands and the overuse of the Union Jack to give shoppers the impression that their products come from quaint British family farms. However, much of the food is increasingly sourced from industrial mega farms or from overseas,”
“Meanwhile, Sanewashing is a practice where journalists or public figures portray someone with extreme ideas or policies as more reasonable and moderate than they actually are, in order to make the person more acceptable to a bigger number of people, The Poynter Institute, a journalism nonprofit, defines “sanewashing” as “the act of packaging radical and outrageous statements in a way that makes them seem normal.” “Sanewashing” is unusual in that it began not with politicians but with journalists, the Columbia Journalism Review suggests, or with people who pride themselves on not using clichés,” it notes.
Last but not least, greenwashing in marketing and advertising involves taking an existing product or service and spinning its environmentally friendly virtues even if there are none. It is hoped that Sri Lankan policymakers will also be alert and aware and watch such trends with the keenest of eyes.
Ceylinco Life’s Ambalantota branch agent AIP Manjula has been named one of three global finalists for the prestigious Insurance Agent of the Year award at the 11th Asia Trusted Life Agents & Advisers Awards (ATLAA) 2026.
The recognition places a Sri Lankan insurance professional among the finalists in a regional field spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Ceylinco Life said the achievement reflected the calibre and customer-focused approach of its agency force, while recognising Manjula’s professionalism and commitment to policyholders.
The award evaluates insurance agents on criteria extending beyond sales performance, including ethical conduct, client service, policy persistency, digital adoption, innovative practices and contributions to the insurance industry and community.
The awards are organised by Asia Advisers Network and Asia Insurance Review, with LIMRA as co-organiser. An independent judging and balloting process is monitored by KPMG as the official scrutineer. The judging panel comprises senior insurance executives, association presidents and industry experts from across the Asia-Pacific region.
CEAT Kelani Holdings (CKH) has retained its National Long-Term Rating of ‘AA+(lka)’ with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings for the sixth consecutive year, reflecting the company’s financial resilience and leading position in Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre market.
The ‘AA+(lka)’ rating, the second-highest on Fitch’s national scale, indicates a very strong capacity to meet financial commitments.
Fitch said CKH’s established market leadership and resilient financial profile remained key strengths, while noting its exposure to price-sensitive, cyclical and highly competitive markets.
The Stable Outlook reflects expectations that the company will maintain its market position despite rising input costs and increasing competition from imported tyres, while preserving adequate credit metrics during periods of weaker earnings and higher investment.
Fitch expects CKH’s established brand, extensive dealer network and adaptive pricing strategies to support its market position. Planned production facility upgrades are also expected to improve product quality, particularly in the radial tyre segment.
The rating agency expects near-term pressure on margins from higher raw material and energy costs but said the company’s low leverage and sound liquidity would provide a cushion.
CKH Chairman Chanaka De Silva said the rating reinforced the company’s focus on disciplined financial management, operational adaptability and long-term investment.
Commercial Bank of Ceylon mobilised employees, customers, volunteers and community members for a nationwide coastal and aquatic clean-up campaign across 20 locations on September 19 to mark International Coastal Cleanup Day 2026.
Conducted under the bank’s sustainability platform, themed ‘Forward Together for a Cleaner Future’, the initiative covered 16 coastal locations and four inland waterways, bringing together stakeholders for a coordinated environmental conservation effort.
The flagship programme was held at Mount Lavinia Beach, with additional activities at Wellawatte and Galle Face beaches. Similar initiatives were conducted by the bank’s regional offices at locations including Kalutara, Negombo, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Puttalam, Jaffna, Galle, Dondra, Tangalle and along the Mahaweli River.
Employees, management, Future Force volunteers, customers and their families participated alongside the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), United Nations Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, government and local authorities, environmental organisations and community members.
The bank said the initiative reflected its commitment to water stewardship after adopting Sustainable Development Goal 6 — Clean Water and Sanitation — as a priority goal in 2025.
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