ACM launches new guideline on sustainability claims

Consumers have a right to clear, complete and concrete information about the sustainability of products and services. Therefore, the Authority Consumer & Market (ACM) has updated the Sustainability Claims Guideline. The updated guideline contains five basic rules for good sustainability claims, which entrepreneurs must follow.

The updated guideline, based on practical experience and input from companies and industry associations, provides clarity on the formulation and substantiation of sustainability claims. Examples of right and wrong claims are included to help entrepreneurs make correct and clear claims.

Cateautje Hijmans van den Bergh, board member of the ACM, emphasizes the importance of reliable sustainability claims for consumers: "Consumers must be able to trust that sustainability claims are correct. Only then can they make a more sustainable choice. With this updated guidance we offer entrepreneurs practical advice."

Five basic rules

The basic five rules for good sustainability claims are: use accurate, clear, specific and complete claims; substantiate claims with facts and keep them up to date; make honest comparisons with other products or competitors; describe future sustainability ambitions concretely and measurably; and ensure that visual claims and labels are helpful to consumers and not confusing.

The ACM is committed to a sustainable society by strengthening oversight of sustainability claims. Consumers should be able to make sustainable choices with confidence, while companies committed to sustainability are protected from unfair competition with misleading claims.

For more information and the full updated guidance on sustainability claims, please visit the ACM website.

Acm.nl