UK competition authority to investigate greenwashing and misleading labels
04 November, 2020
The UK’s Competition and Marketplaces Authority (CMA) is to investigate descriptions and labels used to promote product or service claiming to be ‘eco-friendly’, and if they could mislead consumers.
Greenwashing, or perhaps ‘green sheen’, is when a company uses misleading or perhaps false claims to recommend it’s doing even more for the surroundings than it actually is.
UK shelling out for ethical products increased four-fold
In 2019, UK consumers spent 41 billion pounds a year on ethical goods and services - almost 4 times up to persons spent two decades ago.
This new investigation is a reply to the growing number of product or service being marketed as environmentally friendly, as awareness of environmental issues increases.
Based on its own research and evidence from different enforcers, the CMA is concerned that this surge popular for green product or service could incentivise several businesses to create misleading, vague or false promises about the sustainability or environmental result of the things they sell.
Within its work, the CMA may also consider whether failing woefully to provide all relevant details about the sustainability of something or service - for instance, whether it’s highly polluting or non-recyclable - could mislead consumers and for that reason break consumer law.
The CMA is looking across an array of sectors, although it will probably give attention to those industries where consumers appear most worried about misleading claims, including textiles, fashion and cosmetics.
Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: Increasing numbers of individuals are quite rightly worried about the surroundings and want to take up their part when you are greener. Our position is to make sure that customers can trust the promises they see on products on the market and don’t spend extra for things falsely presented as eco-friendly.
Source: fashionunited.uk
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