Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s CEO, is planning to check the environmental claims made by food, drink and personal care goods
(Picture: Competition and Markets Authority (CMA))The green claims made by a range of household products from food and drink to cleaning products and personal care items are to come under the scrutiny of the Competiton and Markets Authority.
The watchdog will “examine the accuracy” of the environmental credentials claimed by so-called fast-moving consumer goods, a sector worth £130 billion each year to the economy.
It will scrutinise claims about products being “sustainable” or “better for the environment”, seeking evidence to back them up as well as covering the use of recycled or natural materials in products and how recyclable they are.
The CMA pointed out that the average UK household “spent almost £70 a week on food and drink alone” in 2021, and that it was worried about “greenwashing” at a time when the cost of living is rising.
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: “As more people than ever try to do their bit to help protect the environment, we’re concerned many shoppers are being misled and potentially even paying a premium for products that aren’t what they seem.”
She added: “We’ll be scrutinising companies big and small to see whether their environmental claims stack up.”
The CMA runs the Green Claims Code to help businesses understand how to communicate their green credentials without misleading shoppers.
It said if evidence was found that green claims were unfounded, enforcement action could follow.
