New guidelines on green marketing have been issued by the Commerce Commission. Sparked by the growing tide of "greenwash", the guidelines are targeted at businesses using environmental claims in their advertising.
Among the practices the Commission cautions against are:
- making claims that are vague ("green" or "environmentally friendly")
- overstating the environmental benefits of a product
- using environmental images to imply environmental benefits that don't exist
- using business names ("The Absolutely Green V8 Car Company") that imply green credentials that don't exist.
Director of Fair Trading, Adrian Sparrow, says "green claims are a new area of focus for the Commerce Commission because we see it as an emerging area of concern. We already have active investigations in this area and businesses would be well advised to read the guidelines and seek legal advice about any green marketing claims they are making".
Misleading claims breach the Fair Trading Act. Penalties can include fines of up to $60,000 for individuals and $200,000 for a company.
More information
- Commerce Commission guidelines - www.comcom.govt.nz
More from consumer.org.nz
- Green car claims - we investigate dodgy environmental claims about new cars
- Fair Trading Act - our guide to your rights
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