Defra publishes new Green Claims Guidance

New Green Claims Guidance have been published by Defra to help companies describe the environmental credentials of their products to help people understand easier.

The Guidance is designed to help consumers make more informed judgements about what they buy, prevent misleading claims and encourage the development of greener products.

Research suggests that consumers find it difficult to know which products are better for the environment. At the same time, businesses faced with a crowded marketplace can find it difficult to communicate about genuine improvements they have made to their products.

Defra’s new updated Guidance is informed by a suite of research and recommends that companies use clear language when making environmental claims. Findings indicated that while participants were familiar with a range of different terms, some phrases like ‘energy efficient’ were better understood than others such as ‘carbon negative’.

Businesses are encouraged to follow three key ‘steps’ in order to build consumer confidence in the environmental attributes of their products.

These are to ensure the content of the claim is relevant and reflects a genuine benefit to the environment, present the claim clearly and accurately and ensure the claim can be substantiated.

Environment Minister Lord Henley said: "If people are making the effort to buy green it is only right that we try to make the process as easy as possible."

"Our guide will make things easier for both business and consumer – helping restore public faith in environmental advertising and acting as a resource for companies developing more sustainable products."

Further information:
Defra