Regulators are watching. Activists are watching. Your customers are watching. Here’s what you need to know.
Green claims are now a commercial necessity, but they’ve also become a reputational minefield. In 2025, Which? found that 62% of products failed multiple checks against the UK Green Claims Code. Regulators have new powers to fine companies up to 10% of turnover. And it only takes one complaint to trigger an investigation.
Greenwashing isn’t always cynical or deliberate. But regulators won’t accept good intentions as a legal defence, and neither will your customers. Research shows 54% of consumers would stop buying from a company they believed was misleading them on sustainability.
As the ASA’s director of complaints and investigations put it:
“Just because your brand is aiming to do good things for the environment, that doesn’t mean you can ignore the rules on accuracy, evidence and responsibility when constructing your ad.”
The uncomfortable truth is that much greenwashing is unintentional, and some of the worst examples come from companies that genuinely prioritise sustainability. If you or your clients use terms like sustainable, eco-friendly, natural or carbon-neutral anywhere — ads, packaging, social media, your website — you may already be at risk.
But – you don’t have to face this alone.
This guide distils over 30 years of expert sustainability consultancy, including work with some of the world’s leading brands and NGOs like WWF and WBCSD, into a practical, plain-English resource for marketers, brand managers and sustainability professionals.
Get this guide and navigate:
- What greenwashing is, and the three related traps that catch many companies out
- The real risks: regulatory fines, ad bans, customer boycotts and reputational damage
- A quick self-audit: are you already using claims that put you at risk?
- What the UK Green Claims Code requires, and where companies most often go wrong
- The three things you must get right to communicate responsibly and compliantly.
Get your free guide now …
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