Press release

CMA to scrutinise 바카라 사이트榞reen바카라 사이트� claims in sales of household essentials

The CMA will examine the accuracy of 바카라 사이트榞reen바카라 사이트� claims made about household essentials 바카라 사이트� such as food, drink, and toiletries 바카라 사이트� to make sure shoppers are not being misled.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 26 January 2023

• Shoppers spent over 拢130 billion last year on household essentials, including food and drink, cleaning products, and personal care items
• A significant number of household products are marketed as green or environmentally friendly, including up to 91% of all dishwashing items and 100% of toilet products
• CMA Chief Executive: 바카라 사이트淲e바카라 사이트檙e concerned many shoppers are being misled and potentially even paying a premium for products that aren바카라 사이트檛 what they seem바카라 사이트�

The move is an expansion of ongoing work by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into 바카라 사이트榞reenwashing바카라 사이트�, which seeks to get to the bottom of whether products and services that claim to be green or eco-friendly are being marketed to shoppers accurately.

The CMA바카라 사이트檚 review will examine a wide range of products known as 바카라 사이트榝ast-moving consumer goods바카라 사이트� (FMCG). These are essential items used by people on a daily basis and repurchased regularly, such as food and drink, cleaning products, toiletries, and personal care items. In 2021, the average household spent almost 拢70 a week on food and drink alone, and the FMCG sector as a whole is worth over 拢130 billion annually.

The CMA will analyse environmental claims made about such products 바카라 사이트� both online and in store 바카라 사이트� to consider whether companies are complying with UK consumer protection law. Concerning practices could include the use of vague and broad eco-statements for example packaging or marketing a product as 바카라 사이트榮ustainable바카라 사이트� or 바카라 사이트榖etter for the environment바카라 사이트� with no evidence; misleading claims about the use of recycled or natural materials in a product and how recyclable it is; and entire ranges being incorrectly branded as 바카라 사이트榮ustainable바카라 사이트�.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said:

These products are the essentials on everyone바카라 사이트檚 shopping lists: food and drink, shampoo, laundry detergent, toothpaste, cleaning products. As more people than ever try to do their bit to help protect the environment, we바카라 사이트檙e concerned many shoppers are being misled and potentially even paying a premium for products that aren바카라 사이트檛 what they seem, especially at a time when the cost of living continues to rise.

Our work to date has shown there could be greenwashing going on in this sector, and we바카라 사이트檒l be scrutinising companies big and small to see whether their environmental claims stack up. Now is a good time for businesses to review their practices and make sure they바카라 사이트檙e operating within the law.

The move comes as part of the CMA바카라 사이트檚 ongoing work into misleading green claims. In January 2022, the CMA turned its eye to the fashion sector, launching enforcement action against well-known fashion brands ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda in July last year. The CMA wrote to the 3 firms outlining its concerns and the investigation is ongoing.

The CMA also produced the 바카라 사이트� a guide to help businesses understand how to communicate their green credentials, while avoiding the risk of misleading shoppers.

How the review develops will depend on the CMA바카라 사이트檚 assessment of the evidence before it. If the CMA uncovers evidence suggesting green claims could be unfounded, it will consider taking enforcement action using its formal powers 바카라 사이트� for example, opening an investigation into specific companies.

In its Annual Plan consultation 2023 to 2024, the CMA detailed its strategic priority to continue to take action to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy and promote environmental sustainability.

More information can be found on the CMA바카라 사이트檚 Fast Moving Consumer Goods investigation page.

Notes to editors

1. The key piece of consumer protection legislation relevant to the CMA바카라 사이트檚 Green Claims Code, and to today바카라 사이트檚 announcement, is the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs). The CPRs contain a general prohibition against unfair commercial practices and specific prohibitions against misleading actions and misleading omissions.
2. Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) are high-demand, essential products used by people on a daily basis. They are often sold quickly and repurchased regularly. They include items such as food (perishable and non-perishable) and drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), cleaning products (washing up liquid, dishwasher detergent/tablets, surface cleaners, toilet cleaner, laundry detergent, fabric conditioner, etc), homecare products (toilet roll, kitchen roll, handwash, etc), self-care products (toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, soap/bodywash etc), amongst other items.
3. The following statistic is a CMA calculation: Shoppers spent over 拢130 billion last year on household essentials, including food and drink, cleaning products, and personal care. This calculation comes from:
   • UK consumer spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks was around 拢118 billion in 2021 according to Statista reports on consumer spending:
   • UK consumer spending on retail, beauty and personal care products was estimated at over 拢10 billion in 2021. (Mintel, UK 2022, Beauty and Personal Care Retailing report); and
   • The size of the retail household care products market was around 拢6 billion in the UK in 2020. (Mintel, COVID-19 AND HOUSEHOLD CARE: A YEAR ON, UK, MARCH 2021)
4. The following statistic is taken from the ONS and relates to food and non-alcoholic beverages: In 2021, the average household spent almost 拢70 a week alone on food and drink alone.
5. The following statistic is taken from Mintel바카라 사이트檚 : A significant number of household products are marketed as 바카라 사이트榞reen바카라 사이트�, including up to 91% of all dishwashing items and 100% of toilet products
6. Examples and case studies can be found in the CMA바카라 사이트檚 The Green Claims Code: Environmental Claims on Goods and Services.
7. Media enquiries should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.
8. All enquiries from the general public should be directed to the CMA바카라 사이트檚 General Enquiries team on general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6000.

Published 26 January 2023