GovWire

Project launch

The review will examine a wide range of products which are essential items used by people on a daily basis and repurchased regularly, such as food and drink, cleaning products, toiletries, and personal care items. In 2021, the average household spent almost 70 a week on food and drink alone, and the FMCG sector as a whole is worth over 134 billion annually.

The CMA will analyse environmental claims made about such products both online and in store to consider whether companies are complying with UK consumer protection law. Problematic claims include the use of vague and broad eco-statements, for example packaging or marketing a product as sustainable or better for the environment with no evidence; misleading claims about the use of recycled or natural materials in a product and how recyclable it is; and entire ranges being incorrectly branded as sustainable.The CMA will also continue its wider review of potentially misleading green claims in other sectors to consider whether to open further investigations.

At this early stage, the CMA has not reached a view as to whether there have been any breaches of consumer protection law in the FMCG sector. If the CMA uncovers evidence suggesting green claims could be unfounded, it will consider taking enforcement action using its formal powers.

• Press release:

Contact

If you are concerned about potentially misleading green claims being made by any FMCG business, please contact us at: misleadinggreenclaims@cma.gov.uk.