Guidelines Sustainability claims (summary)

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has updated the Guidelines regarding Sustainability claims. The guidelines contain rules of thumb and practical examples to help companies phrase their sustainability claims.

Consumers and companies more and more often wish to contribute towards a world that will remain livable in the long term as well. That is why they find it increasingly important to make sustainable choices. Consumers have become more interested in the sustainability impact of the products and services that they purchase. They take into account sustainability in their purchase decisions. However, claims about sustainability are often seen as unreliable by consumers. Companies must be honest about sustainability, and can only use clear, correct, and relevant sustainability claims. The ACM Guidelines contain 5 rules of thumb to help companies phrase correct sustainability claims. These are:

1. Use correct, clear, specific and complete sustainability claims
2. Substantiate your sustainability claims with facts, and keep them up-to-date
3. Make fair comparisons with other products or competitors
4. Describe your future sustainability ambitions in concrete and verifiable terms
5. Make sure that visual claims and labels are useful to consumers, not confusing

An English translation of the complete guidelines will be published on 28 June.