The Competition and Marketing Authority (CMA) has set out its views on the types of misleading environmental claims made about products that could break the law and is seeking views on draft guidance for businesses about ‘green’ claims.
This is based on a careful review of how these claims are being made and how people respond to them. It explains the best way for businesses to communicate their green credentials, while reducing the risk of misleading customers.
This direction comes at a time when more than half of UK consumers take environmental considerations into account when buying products.
In particular, the proposed guidance sets out 6 principles that environmental claims should follow, they:
- must be truthful and accurate
- must be clear and unambiguous
- must not omit or hide important information
- must only make fair and meaningful comparisons
- must consider the full life cycle of the product
- must be substantiated
The CMA is inviting views on its guidance and is particularly keen to hear from anyone who buys or sells products which claim to be eco-friendly, including whether any further information is needed to help companies comply with the law.
The consultation will run until 16 July 2021, with the aim of publishing the final guidance by the end of September 2021.
For further information visit GOV.UK.