Imagine yourself standing in the bustling aisles of a supermarket, surrounded by a dizzying array of products all vying for your attention with promises of sustainability and eco-friendliness. It’s a familiar scenario for many modern consumers who would fall for any product that uses a dull brown cover with a green sticker, but amidst the sea of ‘green’ labels and eco-conscious packaging, how can one discern the genuine eco-warriors. To assist in this endeavour, the Central Consumer Protection Authority has released draft “Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing”.
Here are the key guidelines that advertisers / service providers / sellers would need to adhere to once the guidelines are finalized:
- Truthful Communication- The advertisers need to avoid tempting the consumers with attractive labels and captivating slogans. Now advertisers are not allowed to use generic words such as ‘clean’, ‘green’, eco-friendly’, carbon-neutral’ etc. without giving adequate qualifiers, substantiation and adequate disclosure.
- Transparency- Environmental claims must be accurate, transparent, and easily accessible to consumers either in the advertisement / packaging itself or by other means such as a QR Code / URL. Moreover, cherry-picking data to favourably showcase products or services while concealing unfavourable aspects is strictly prohibited.
- Specificity in claims- Environmental claims should specify whether they relate to the product in its entirety or only to a part of it, such as its manufacturing, packaging, use etc. Furthermore, comparative claims must specify the scope and basis of comparison.
- Futuristic environmental claims- Such claims are permitted as long clear and actionable plans have been developed detailing how those objectives will be achieved.
- Certification- The Advertisers need to look for recognized eco-labels and certifications from reputable organizations to ensure that the product / service aligns with the claims made.
The Draft Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing, 2024 can be accessed vide https://lnkd.in/gh69ddKZ
