12.13.23
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a competition regulator in the UK, has announced that it will be scrutinizing environmental claims made by Unilever, which is known for brands including Dove, Vaseline and Axe.
The move is part of the CMA’s wider investigation into greenwashing and follows concerns around how Unilever is marketing certain products, within some brands, to customers as environmentally friendly.
“More and more people are trying to do their bit to help protect the environment, but we’re worried many are being misled by so-called ‘green’ products that aren’t what they seem,” explained Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA.
"We are surprised and disappointed with the CMA's announcement and refute that our claims are in any way misleading," a Unilever spokesperson said in a statement. "We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information."
Regarding certain products, the CMA’s concerns include whether:
“So far, the evidence we’ve seen has raised concerns about how Unilever presents certain products as environmentally friendly,” Cardell said. “We’ll be drilling down into these claims to see if they measure up. If we find they’re greenwashing, we’ll take action to make sure shoppers are protected.
How the case unfolds will depend on what the evidence shows. Possible outcomes include securing undertakings from Unilever that commit the firm to change the way it operates; taking the company to court; or closing the case without further action.
The move is part of the CMA’s wider investigation into greenwashing and follows concerns around how Unilever is marketing certain products, within some brands, to customers as environmentally friendly.
“More and more people are trying to do their bit to help protect the environment, but we’re worried many are being misled by so-called ‘green’ products that aren’t what they seem,” explained Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA.
"We are surprised and disappointed with the CMA's announcement and refute that our claims are in any way misleading," a Unilever spokesperson said in a statement. "We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information."
The CMA’s Concerns
The CMA claims its initial review uncovered “a range of concerning practices,” and, as part of that work, the CMA has launched a formal investigation into Unilever.Regarding certain products, the CMA’s concerns include whether:
- Certain statements and language used by Unilever appear vague and broad, and may mislead shoppers regarding the environmental impact of those products.
- Claims about some ingredients are presented in a way that may exaggerate how ‘natural’ the product is, and so may create an inaccurate or misleading impression.
- Claims focusing on a single aspect of a product may suggest it is environmentally friendly as a whole.
- Certain green claims – particularly in relation to recyclability – may be unclear, as they fail to specify whether they relate to all or part of a product, or packaging.
- Unilever’s use of colors and imagery – such as green leaves – may create the overall impression that some products are more environmentally friendly than they actually are.
“So far, the evidence we’ve seen has raised concerns about how Unilever presents certain products as environmentally friendly,” Cardell said. “We’ll be drilling down into these claims to see if they measure up. If we find they’re greenwashing, we’ll take action to make sure shoppers are protected.
What Will Happen Next
The CMA has contacted Unilever already. Moving forward, the CMA will use its information-gathering powers to obtain further evidence to progress its investigation.How the case unfolds will depend on what the evidence shows. Possible outcomes include securing undertakings from Unilever that commit the firm to change the way it operates; taking the company to court; or closing the case without further action.
