In September 2021, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) announced it will officially clamp down on greenwashing ads.
This means that any business making a misleading or false claim about their green credentials will have one year to either meet those claims or face being investigated.
Investigations will roll out in stages at the start of January 2022. Initial inquiries will start with the following carbon-heavy producing sectors, including:
In spring 2022, the focus expands to include the accuracy of green claims made by companies around recyclable, biodegradable and plastic alternative waste. And in the autumn, meat and food sustainability advertising, including claims around environmental good practice by sellers of beef products will come under scrutiny.
“The ASA is going to be shining a greater regulatory spotlight in the coming years on social responsibility and misleading environmental claims in ads,” says director of complaints and investigations at the ASA, Miles Lockwood.
“We know there needs to be a systemic change for the UK to meet the government’s climate targets. And we know how concerned people are about inaccurate ads promoting green credentials.”
Ahead of November’s COP26 summit in Glasgow, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) have announced guidance to help businesses comply with advertising law called the Green Claims Code.
The basic principles state that ad claims must:
Please visit the government CMA website for a full explanation of the Green Claims Code guidance, including examples and case studies.
If your business refuses to comply, the CMA and other bodies could bring court proceedings against you, including Trading Standards Services. In exceptional cases, you may have to pay consumers who feel your breach of consumer protection law has harmed them.
And the ASA could also take action against your greenwashed advertisements too.
It’s a lot of hassle for something so easy to get right.
But to make sure you’re compliant, you’re going to need a little help.
One of the best things you can do for your business is to talk to Certified Sustainable.
Why?
Because we produce comprehensive Sustainability Impact Reports detailing the environmental impact of the day-to-day operations of businesses. We then develop technical solutions and real-world strategies that make your business more sustainable.
And you’ll receive accreditation that allows you to advertise your green credentials without fear of falling foul of the Advertising Standards Authority.
No fluff. No PR gimmickry. Just real-world change.
