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Federal Trade Commission guidelines for marketing claims using environmental terms such as “carbon offsets” are set to get a refresh.
The agency publishes its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, also known as the Green Guides, to describe how consumers are likely to interpret certain claims and how marketers can substantiate them to avoid accusations of “greenwashing,” or deceptive environmental pitches. It last revised guidance in 2012 and a scheduled update is approaching.
But some marketers say the guidelines aren’t very specific about some terms and don’t provide specific guidance on others, including “net zero.”
The update might mean some marketers will want to change their practices or stop using certain claims to avoid FTC scrutiny or enforcement. It could also help level the playing field for those that give priority to sustainability in their marketing strategy.
Here is what marketers should know about the Green Guides, the coming revision and how some companies are trying to stay current in the meantime.
What exactly are the Green Guides?
The FTC’s 2012 iteration of the “Green Guides” addresses terms such as “non-toxic,” “free-of” and “carbon offsets.”
The guides are not binding, but they are “very helpful in assessing what the FTC views as permissible, and what the FTC views as impermissible,” said Brook Detterman, a principal at environmental law firm Beveridge &...
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