No more green washing?

GREEN” PRODUCTS ABOUT TO GET A REDEFINITION
FTC TO ISSUE NEW “GREEN GUIDES”

Advertising Age reports that the Federal Trade Commission has before it a new set of “Green Guide”, the first environmental-marketing guidelines in 12 years that could “radically reshape how far marketers can go in painting their products, packaging or even corporate images green.”
Many product manufacturers and retailers have been touting their green footprint or the “sustainability” of their products over the last few years, as environmental concerns have gone more mainstream. But some of those companies have been accused of “greenwashing”, that is, claiming environmental advantages that are either very small or nonexistent.

The new guidelines, which are due out by the end of summer, will apparently go a long way to standardizing the definitions of terms like “recyclable”, “sustainability” or “biodegradable” and regulate how marketers use such terms as “carbon neutral”.

“I would expect that they’re going to require more concrete showing of environmental benefits, and insubstantial environmental harm associated with anything that wants to claim green, friendly or eco-conscious terms,” Christopher Cole, an advertising-law specialist and partner with law firm Manatt Phelps & Phillips in Washington, told AdAge. “To the extent it’s been undefined; the bar has been pretty low.”

Companies that ignore the new guidelines could be subject to enforcement action by the FTC. The Commission has already brought seven suits for violations of the environmental ad rules during the Obama Administration.

The new rules are expected to make most of the 300 environmental seals of approval currently seen on packaging and products largely useless and possibly in violation of FTC standards.