Government takes stand against greenwashing with new consumer protection guidelines

Tackling greenwashing now: The government on Tuesday announced new guidelines aimed at curbing greenwashing and misleading environmental claims made by companies, with a focus on protecting consumers and enhancing transparency in green marketing.

Greenwashing involves companies making false or exaggerated claims about the eco-friendliness of their products or services.

Integrity in environmental claims

The comprehensive guidelines, released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, mandate that all eco-friendly claims must be supported by verifiable evidence and clear disclosures.

During a media briefing, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare highlighted that these guidelines do not ban environmental claims but instead ensure they are made honestly and transparently. "Claims must be substantiated with verifiable evidence and independent research," she stated.

Under the new rules, phrases such as "100% eco-friendly," "zero emissions," and "cruelty-free" must be backed by accurate and easily accessible qualifiers.

The guidelines provide clear definitions for 'greenwashing' and 'environmental claims' to establish a framework for compliance.

Companies are required to communicate in consumer-friendly language and must base comparative environmental claims on relevant and verifiable data, ensuring that specific aspects of comparison are disclosed.

Aspirational environmental claims can only be made if they are supported by clear and actionable plans, Khare added.

Digital transparency requirements

Furthermore, the guidelines stipulate that companies making environmental claims must disclose all pertinent information in their advertisements or communications, which can be done via QR codes, URLs, or other digital media.

They are also required to clarify whether the claim pertains to the product itself, its manufacturing process, packaging, usage, or disposal.

Specific claims like "compostable," "degradable," "recyclable," and "net-zero" must be backed by credible certifications, reliable scientific evidence, or third-party verification. This information should be easily accessible to consumers.

Additionally, the guidelines address the use of technical terms, requiring companies to provide clear, consumer-friendly explanations for terms such as "environmental impact assessment" and "ecological footprint."

While these guidelines supplement existing regulations, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs noted that in cases of conflict with specific laws, those laws will take precedence. The central authority's decisions will be final in cases of ambiguity or disputes regarding interpretation.

(With PTI Inputs)