ACCC releases eight principles to guide businesses’ environmental claims

The importance of clear, evidence-based claims that consumers can trust

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released eight principles to guide businesses in ensuring transparency and accuracy in environmental marketing claims. The principles, part of the ACCC’s final guidance on environmental claims, aim to promote good practices in communicating environmental benefits to consumers. ACCC Acting Chair Catriona Lowe emphasized the importance of clear, evidence-based claims that consumers can trust. The guidance seeks to prevent misleading environmental advertising, providing a framework for businesses to compete fairly and differentiate themselves through genuine environmental efforts. The ACCC plans to release additional guidance on emission and offset claims, trust marks, and consumer assessment of environmental claims in early 2024.

The eight key principles are:

  1. Make accurate and truthful claims
  2. Have evidence to back up your claims
  3. Don’t hide or omit important information
  4. Explain any conditions or qualifications on your claims
  5. Avoid broad and unqualified claims
  6. Use clear and easy-to-understand language
  7. Visual elements should not give the wrong impression
  8. Be direct and open about your sustainability transition

Marketing staff need to be trained on these guidelines

Marketing staff should be trained to ensure they understand the risks of, and potential penalties for, making misleading and deceptive claims. GRC Solutions offers Competition and Consumer Law eLearning for Australia with specific versions for FMCG and Universities. The New Zealand courses cover Commercial Practices, Consumer Guarantees, and Fair Trading.

For further information see https://www.accc.gov.au/

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