Environmentally Friendly Products: FTC’s Green Guides
A growing number of American consumers are looking to buy environmentally friendly, “green” products, from recycled paper to biodegradable trash bags. Companies have responded with “green” marketing touting the environmental benefits of what they’re selling. But sometimes what companies think their green claims mean and what consumers really understand are two different things. The Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides are designed to help marketers avoid making environmental claims that mislead consumers.
The Green Guides were first issued in 1992 and were revised in 1996, 1998, and 2012. The guidance they provide includes: 1) general principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims; 2) how consumers are likely to interpret particular claims and how marketers can substantiate these claims; and 3) how marketers can qualify their claims to avoid deceiving consumers.
The FTC’s most recent update of the Guides is designed to make them easier for companies to understand and use. The changes include new guidance on marketers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, claims about materials and energy sources that are “renewable,” and “carbon offset” claims.
- Kohl's Inc., U.S. v. ( )
- Walmart, U.S. v. ( )
- Truly Organic Inc. ( )
- Lights of America, Inc., Usman Vakil, and Farooq Vakil ( )
- YOLO Colorhouse, In the Matter of ( )
- ICP Construction, Inc, In the Matter of ( )
- Imperial Paints, In the Matter of ( )
- Benjamin Moore & Co., Inc., In the Matter of ( )
- Moonlight Slumber, In the Matter of ( )
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. ( )
- ECM BioFilms, Inc., also d/b/a Enviroplastics International, In the Matter of ( )
- California Naturel, In the Matter of ( )
- Trans-India Products, Inc., In the Matter of ( )
- Beyond Coastal, In the Matter of ( )
- The Erickson Marketing Group Inc., In the Matter of ( )
- ABS Consumer Products, In the Matter of ( )
- Nordstrom, Inc. ( )
- Backcountry.com, LLC ( )
- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. ( )
- J.C. Penney Company, Inc. ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed Improvements to the Energy Labeling Rule ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Seeks Public Comments on Improvements to the EnergyGuide Labeling Rule ( )
- FTC Releases Agenda for May 23 Workshop on “Recyclable” Claims ( )
- FTC to Host Workshop on “Recyclable” Claims as Part of its Ongoing Review of the Agency’s Green Guides ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Extends Public Comment Period on Potential Updates to its Green Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims ( )
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Potential Updates to its ‘Green Guides’ for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Extends Public Comment Period on Initiative to Reduce Energy Costs and Strengthen Right-to-Repair ( )
- FTC Announces Tentative Agenda for December 14 Open Commission Meeting ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Seeks Public Comment on Initiative to Reduce Energy Costs and Strengthen Right-to-Repair ( )
- FTC Approves Petition by Gilbarco, Inc. for Partial Exemption to the Agency’s Fuel Rating Rule ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Updates Labeling Rule Designed to Help Consumers Reduce Energy Costs ( )
- FTC Seeks Public Comment on Petition by Gilbarco, Inc. for Partial Exemption to the Agency’s Fuel Rating Rule ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Seeks Comments on Updates to Labeling Rule Geared Toward Reducing Energy Costs for Consumers ( )
- FTC Uses Penalty Offense Authority to Seek Largest-Ever Civil Penalty for Bogus Bamboo Marketing from Kohl’s and Walmart ( )
- FTC Approves Final Amendments to the Energy Labeling Rule ( )
- In Final Court Summary, FTC Reports Volkswagen Repaid More Than $9.5 Billion To Car Buyers Who Were Deceived by “Clean Diesel” Ad Campaign ( )
- FTC Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to the Energy Labeling Rule ( )
- Truly Organic? The FTC Says No, Alleges Retailer Misled Consumers about Its Products ( )
- FTC Sends Warning Letters to Companies Regarding Diamond Ad Disclosures ( )
- FTC Proposes Amendments to Improve Usability of the Energy Labeling Rule ( )
- FTC public workshop on recyclable claims starts soon( )
- The topic is trash: FTC event explores recycling claims( )
- Next step in FTC’s Green Guides review: A closer look at “recyclable” claims( )
- FTC greenlights Green Guides comment extension( )
- FTC Environmental Marketing Guides: Is it time for a change of green-ery?( )
- $5.5 million total FTC settlements with Kohl’s and Walmart challenge “bamboo” and eco claims, shed light on Penalty Offense enforcement( )
- FTC gets back to the basics at June 24th Dallas workshop for businesses, attorneys( )
- Looking at the VW case in the rearview mirror( )
- Deceptive “certified organic” claims leave consumers verklempt( )
- Do you have a 2012, 2013, or 2014 VW Passat TDI?( )
- So You Received a CID: FAQs for Small Businesses( )
- 2017: The consumer protection year in review( )
- FTC says company didn’t have support for “organic” mattress claims( )
- Paint settlements suggest caution with broad-brush VOC, safety claims( )
- Second FTC settlement with VW challenges green claims for 3.0 liter diesels( )
- Edge of ‘17( )
- Billions back to consumers for VW’s false “clean diesel” claims( )
- Are your “all natural” claims all accurate?( )
- Clothes by any other name: FTC challenges retailers’ “bamboo” claims( )
- Performing seals( )
- Open Commission Meeting - December 14, 2022December 14, 2022
- Consumer Perceptions of “Organic” Claims RoundtableOctober 20, 2016
- Green Building & Textiles July 15, 2008
- Green Packaging Claims April 30, 2008
- Eco in the Market: Carbon Offsets & Renewable Energy CertificatesJanuary 8, 2008
- Environmental Marketing Guides WorkshopDecember 7, 1995
- Statement of Commissioner Rohit Chopra in the Matter of Truly Organic ( )
- Prepared Remarks of Chairman Joseph Simons at 2019 ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference ( )
- Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Christine S. Wilson on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Energy Labeling Rule ( )
- Statement of Commissioner Maureen K. Ohlhausen Concurring in Part and Dissenting in Part In the Matter of California Naturel, Inc. ( )
- Road Cleared for VW to Compensate Consumers ( )
- Remarks of FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez at Volkswagen Press Conference ( )
- Opinion of the Commission, By Commissioner Terrell McSweeny - In the Matter of ECM BioFilms ( )
- Partial Dissent of Commissioner Maureen K. Ohlhausen - In the Matter of ECM BioFilms, Inc ( )
- Terro Novo, Inc. (EarthGuard Fiber Matrix Industrial-Use Soil Erosion Control Products) ( )
- A Rose By Any Other Name . . . Would Probably Violate the FTC Act: Shakespeare, the FTC, and Advertising ( )
- FTC Policy Statement Regarding Advertising Substantiation ( )
- FTC Policy Statement on Deception ( )
- FTC Policy Statement on Unfairness ( )
