British FMCG giant Unilever has come under the radar for bogus ‘green’ claims about its products. The UK antitrust regulator has opened a probe against the company over claims that it misled shoppers about how environment-friendly its products are.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in a statement released on Tuesday (Dec 12) said an initial review into Unilever’s tactics found that the multi-billion dollar company was using a range of “concerning practices” to sell its products.
“Essentials like detergent, kitchen spray, and toiletries are the kinds of items you put in your supermarket basket every time you shop. 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.
The watchdog added that it was worried Unilever might have been overstating how clean and green it was. The company, which is responsible for brands such as Dove, Comfort and Cif among others focused on single aspect of the product to suggest it was environmentally friendly.
Use of colors and imagery such as green leaves created the impression that some products were greener than what reality might reflect.
If Unilever is found guilty of greenwashing claims, the watchdog could take it to court where the case could even go to trial.
After the release of CMA’s statement, Unilever said it was “surprised” and “disappointed” by the investigation but added it would cooperate with the watchdog.
“We refute that our claims are in any way misleading. Unilever is committed to making responsible claims about the benefits of our products on our packs and to these being transparent and clear,” a company spokesperson said.
The authorities launching the probe against Unilever is part of a broader battle against “greenwashing” that mega companies often use to sell themselves as a sustainable and eco-conscious company. In January, earlier this year, CMA expanded its investigation to include consumer goods companies that make essential items such as food, drink, cleaning products and toiletries.
The process of fabricating or exaggerating a product, service, brand, or even an entire company’s green credentials is known as “greenwashing.”
Big brands use it to market themselves despite causing tremendous damage to the environment. Their deceptive ploy not only hurts the climate but also the ethical businesses that are attempting to better the world by changing their habits.
(With inputs from agencies)
