Government Sets New Guidelines to Crack Down on Greenwashing

The government has introduced comprehensive guidelines to regulate greenwashing and prevent misleading environmental claims. These rules require companies to provide verifiable evidence for eco-friendly assertions, aiming to protect consumers and promote transparency. They emphasize integrity in marketing by enforcing clear, substantiated, and accessible environmental claims.

The government has unveiled detailed guidelines to regulate greenwashing and misleading environmental claims, with a focus on consumer protection and transparency in eco-friendly marketing.

Greenwashing involves companies' claims about the climate-friendly impact of their products or services, often without sufficient evidence. The new guidelines, released by the consumer affairs ministry, mandate verifiable evidence and clear disclosures for all eco-friendly assertions.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare stated these guidelines ensure that environmental claims are made with integrity. Terms like '100% eco-friendly' must be substantiated, and companies are required to use consumer-friendly language for technical terms. Specific claims such as 'recyclable' must be backed by credible evidence or third-party verification.

(With inputs from agencies.)