The consumer checklist for regulating the wild west of misleading green claims

Consumers increasingly want to take action to reduce their ecological footprint and look out for environmental information when purchasing. However, a survey carried out by BEUC and ICRT in 16 countries clearly shows that consumers cannot easily distinguish false from genuine claims and are increasingly frustrated with greenwashing.

Misleading green claims reduce consumers’ trust in environmental-related information and are detrimental to companies making genuine efforts to become more sustainable. Consumers expect policymakers to protect them against greenwashing through strict regulation. According to our survey, 3 in 4 consumers think that green claims should only be authorised if independently verified and 80% believe that companies found guilty of greenwashing should be severely fined.

The EU is working on important rules to protect consumers from unsubstantiated claims that inflate the market, with the Council and the European Parliament soon starting the negotiation of the Green Claims Directive.