UK’s markets authority to tackle greenwashing
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to investigate the prevalence and impact of greenwashing in the fashion sector
The CMA review will look at environmental claims aimed at UK customers and determine whether or not fashion brands are complying with consumer protection laws. If this is the case the CMA may mandate brands to change their consumer advertising methods, or take court action.
This comes after the CMA published a green claims code in September, which came into force at the start of this year, to help businesses understand how to communicate their green credentials, while reducing the risk of misleading shoppers.
Cecilia Parker Aranha, director of consumer protection at the CMA, said: “People are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact that fashion can have on our planet. We know that many shoppers are actively looking for brands which are doing good things for the environment – and we want to make sure the claims they see are stacking up.
“Our work so far indicates that there could be issues with greenwashing in the fashion sector and that’s why we’ve prioritised this area for further investigation.”
The CMA is understood to have prioritised fashion because of the size of the market and the scale of consumer concerns. Other sectors, including transport, food and drink, and beauty are also expected to be investigated over their environmental claims.
