Environmental claims on goods and services

When making green claims, your business must comply with consumer protection law.

It is also essential to comply with any sector or product specific laws that apply to your product or service. Before making a green claim, you should understand how your product, brand or business has an impact, both positively and negatively, on the environment for its whole life cycle.

Green claims checklist

When making a green claim, your business should be able to answer ‘yes’ or agree to each of the following statements:

1. The claim is accurate and clear for all to understand.
2. There’s up-to-date, credible evidence to show that the green claim is true.
3. The claim clearly tells the whole story of a product or service; or relates to one part of the product or service without misleading people about the other parts or the overall impact on the environment.
4. The claim doesn’t contain partially correct or incorrect aspects or conditions that apply.
5. Where general claims - for example “eco-friendly”, “green” or “sustainable” are being made, the claim reflects the whole life cycle of the brand, product, business or service and is justified by the evidence.
6. If conditions or caveats apply to the claim, they’re clearly set out and can be understood by all.
7. The claim won’t mislead customers or other suppliers.
8. The claim doesn’t exaggerate its positive environmental impact, or contain anything untrue – whether clearly stated or implied.
9. Durability or disposability information is clearly explained and labelled.
10. The claim doesn’t miss out or hide information about the environmental impact that people need to make informed choices.
11. Information that really can’t fit into the claim can be easily accessed by customers in another way, for example a QR code, website etc.
12. Features or benefits that are necessary standard features or legal requirements of that product or service type, aren’t claimed as environmental benefits.
13. If a comparison is being used, the basis of it is fair and accurate, and is clear for all to understand.

You can download the full CMA guidance on environmental claims on goods and services (PDF, 505K).