New Code to prevent misleading green claims
Nowadays we hear a lot of organisations talking about what they’re doing to help reduce climate change. But with so many claims being made, how can we tell everything we hear is accurate?
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Well since the start of this year the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been working to ensure environmental claims comply with consumer law.
New guidance – the Green Claims Code, which was launched in January – is now available to help companies stay on the right side of the law.
What is the Green Claims Code?
A CMA analysis of claims being made on 495 websites found 40% ‘appeared to be using tactics that could be considered misleading and therefore potentially breaking consumer law’. The new code will address such tactics by insisting any green claims adhere to six principles:
- Claims must be truthful and accurate
- Claims must be clear and unambiguous
- Claims must not omit or hide important relevant information
- Comparisons must be fair and meaningful
- Claims must consider the full life cycle of the product or service
- Claims must be substantiated.
According to the CMA, the code is intended to ‘give confidence to those businesses whose products are genuinely ‘green’ to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions’.
If a business doesn’t comply with consumer protection law, the CMA and other bodies – such as Trading Standards Services or sector regulators – may bring court proceedings.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) can also act for misleading green claims which appear in advertising.
Leading the way
As a company closely involved in the circular economy, we welcome the new code as we believe it’s important that businesses who are helping create a more sustainable future are held to high standards.
Since 1972 we have been collecting waste from farmers, abattoirs, meat processing plants and the catering industry, making JG Pears one of the UK's leading processors of animal by-products.
We are proud to have been at the forefront of the circular economy for almost 50 years, pioneering environmentally aware practices and turning materials that would otherwise be wasted into sustainable, premium grade animal fats, animal meal products and biofuels.
Rendering is a process that converts animal tissue not used for human consumption into stable, usable products and materials. It is one of the oldest industries in the world and historically it played a key role in candle and soap-making. Today we recognise the vital role it must play as we tackle the growing problem of food and energy waste.