Nearly every company claims to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, but regulators are getting snarky when companies overegg the pudding.
Unilever, the multinational consumer goods company behind well-known brands like Dove soap and Hellmann’s mayonnaise, is under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over allegations that it may be exaggerating the environmental friendliness of some of its products.
The CMA said it is cracking down on companies suspected of engaging in “corporate greenwashing” as customers want to make more sustainable choices.
The CMA’s primary concern is that Unilever may be misleading consumers with vague and broad statements regarding the environmental attributes of products. The watchdog points to the use of language and imagery on packaging that could potentially overstate the eco-friendliness of these products.
