The Consumer Protection Authority of India issued a set of guidelines to address greenwashing and misleading environmental claims in advertising products.

Greenwashing refers to the deceptive practice where companies make exaggerated or false claims about the environmental benefits of their products or services, often using vague terms such as “natural,” “organic,” or “eco-friendly.”

According to the Consumer Protection Authority, this strategy misleads consumers and undermines genuine environmental efforts.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued comprehensive guidelines titled “Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing or Misleading Environmental Claims, 2024,” to ensure transparency and accuracy in environmental marketing claims.

Definitions of environmental claims and greenwashing

Clear definitions are provided for terms such as “environmental claims” and “greenwashing” to ensure there is a common understanding between businesses and consumers (sections 2E and 2F).

prohibition of greenwashing

Companies are prohibited from engaging in greenwashing or making misleading environmental claims without credible evidence (section 4).

Verification and Disclosure Requirements

All environmental claims must be supported by credible scientific evidence or third-party certification. Adequate disclosures must be provided regarding the product, its manufacturing process and its packaging (Section 5).

Ban on misleading terms

Terms such as “sustainable,” “natural,” “organic,” and “reborn” cannot be used in advertising without clear, accurate, and accessible qualifications.

Encouraging third-party certificates

Companies are encouraged to use third-party certifications to authenticate their environmental claims and promote transparency.

The CCPA noted that the guidelines are not designed to restrict companies’ efforts toward environmental responsibility, but rather to ensure that these claims are made with integrity.

“The primary goal of these guidelines is to protect consumers from misleading information while promoting genuine environmental responsibility within the business community.” read the official statement.

For businesses, the guidelines represent an important step towards promoting transparency and consumer trust.

For consumers, they seek reassurance that environmental claims made by companies are supported by credible evidence and honest practices, the report said.