On October 1, 2012 the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published final guidelines for businesses that market their products as “green” or environmentally friendly. The guidelines are not rules, but they do set out the agency’s views of what type of environmental claims the agency might find deceptive under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. It is anticipated that, with the release of the green guides, there will be an increase in FTC enforcement action, and an increase in actions between competitors to enforce compliance. The new guidelines, which have not been revised since 1998, direct marketers to focus… Read more
Tag: Green Guides
FTC Releases Revised Green Guides
For the first time in 12 years, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has released an update on its “Green Guides” guidance for environmental marketing and claims. Originally released in 1992, and last updated in 1998, the Green Guides provide guidance for advertisers and marketers in the green space and warn against making broad claims, such as that a product is “eco-friendly,” if the company cannot provide supporting documentation. “In recent years, businesses have increasingly used ‘green’ marketing to capture consumers’ attention and move Americans toward a more environmentally friendly future. But what companies think green claims mean and what consumers… Read more