The Green Claims Code, established by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), sets out guidelines for businesses making environmental claims in the UK. As the wedding industry continues to grow and embrace sustainability, it’s essential for businesses to understand and comply with these regulations to avoid penalties and maintain consumer trust.
What is the Green Claims Code?
The Green Claims Code aims to ensure that environmental claims made by businesses are accurate, clear, and substantiated. It prohibits misleading or exaggerated claims that could confuse consumers. This includes claims about sustainability, eco-friendliness, and environmental performance.
How Does it Affect Wedding Businesses?
Wedding businesses can make a variety of environmental claims, such as using sustainable materials, reducing waste, or offering eco-friendly options. However, it’s crucial to ensure that these claims are accurate and backed up by evidence. Failure to comply with the Green Claims Code could result in fines or legal action.
Doing the Right Thing
Many businesses are already doing the right thing by being upfront about how green a product really is. But that’s not always the case. A recent international analysis of websites found that 40% of green claims made online could be misleading.
That’s why the Green Claims Code exists! To help you ensure your green claims are genuine and not misleading. Not only will it help you protect your business’ reputation with its customers, but it will also help you to stay on the right side of the law.
There are six key elements all green claims must be:
- Be truthful and accurate: Businesses must live up to the claims they make about their products, services, brands and activities
- Be clear and unambiguous: The meaning that a consumer is likely to take from a product’s messaging and the credentials of that product should match
- Not omit or hide important information: Claims must not prevent someone from making an informed choice because of the information they leave out
- Only make fair and meaningful comparisons: Any products compared should meet the same needs or be intended for the same purpose
- Consider the full life cycle of the product: When making claims, businesses must consider the total impact of a product or service. Claims can be misleading where they don’t reflect the overall impact or where they focus on one aspect of it but not another
- Be substantiated: Businesses should be able to back up their claims with robust, credible and up to date evidence
Understanding Your Environmental Impact
To ensure your environmental claims are accurate, it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of your products and services’ environmental footprint. This involves evaluating the materials used, the energy consumed throughout the production and delivery process, and the waste generated. By gaining this knowledge, you can identify areas where improvements can be made and substantiate your claims with factual data.
Setting Clear Environmental Goals
Establishing clear environmental goals and targets is essential for tracking your progress and ensuring your claims are accurate. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By setting clear objectives, you can prioritize areas for improvement and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability.
Seeking Verification
Obtaining certifications or third-party verification can significantly enhance the credibility of your environmental claims. These certifications, such as such as the Sustainable Wedding Alliance Accreditation, B Corp certification or eco-labels, provide independent validation of your sustainability practices. By seeking verification, you can build trust with consumers and differentiate your business from competitors.
Transparency is Key
Transparency is crucial for building trust with your customers. Disclose any limitations or challenges you may face in achieving your environmental goals. Honesty about your progress, including setbacks, demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement and builds credibility.
Regular Review of Marketing Materials
Regularly review your marketing materials to ensure they accurately reflect your environmental claims and comply with the Green Claims Code. Avoid making unsubstantiated or misleading claims. By maintaining consistency between your actions and your messaging, you can reinforce your commitment to sustainability and build a positive reputation.
By understanding and complying with the Green Claims Code, wedding businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and build trust with their customers. It’s essential to make accurate and substantiated environmental claims to avoid penalties and contribute to a more sustainable future.
If you’re ready to take the next step on your sustainable journey, reach out and book in a call to discuss how we can work with you to put in place the building blocks to a sustainable business.
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Featured image by Helen Williams Photography showcasing sustainable floral arrangements by Jacqui O
