Unilever probed over ‘greenwashing’ concerns – and use of green leaves
Unilever is set to be probed over ‘greenwashing’ claims by the UK’s competition watchdog.
The increasingly muscular Competition Markets Authority (CMA) said the formal investigation into Unilever comes amid concerns of misleading claims, “vague” statements and the firm’s use of ‘green leaves’ imagery.
The probe into the environmental claims of Unilever, owner of Dove, Comfort and Lynx, is part of the CMA’s wider greenwashing investigation, which has examined other big-named brands such as Boohoo, Asos and Asda.
Following an initial review of some of Unilever’s practices, the CMA said it found the need for a formal investigation to see if the claims “measure up”.
“Certain statements and language used by Unilever appear vague and broad, and may mislead shoppers regarding the environmental impact of those products,” the regulator said this morning.
“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,” the firm’s release continued this morning.
The regular also said it would look at the firm’s use of imagery.
“Unilever’s use of colours and imagery – such as green leaves – may create the overall impression that some products are more environmentally friendly than they actually are,” it said.
Sarah Cardell, CMA chief executive, said: “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.
“So far, the evidence we’ve seen has raised concerns about how Unilever presents certain products as environmentally friendly. 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.”
It marks the latest headache for Unilever, which has been through the mill in recent years.
New CEO Hein Schumacher joined this summer in an attempt to turn around a company which most analysts believe to be underperforming.
A spokesperson for Unilever said: “We are surprised and disappointed with the CMA’s announcement and 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, and we have robust processes in place to make sure any claims can be substantiated.
“We use the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) to provide consumers with information on how to dispose of our packaging after use, and Unilever is a founding signatory of the UK Plastics Pact, which brings together the entire plastics packaging value chain to tackle the challenges around plastic waste.
“We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information.”
Updated to include comments from Unilever