Unilever "surprised and disappointed" by CMA greenwashing investigation

Unilever is under investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its environmental claims.

The formal investigation comes after the UK regulator uncovered a range of  "concerning practices" in an initial review of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company.

The concerns include whether certain statements and language used by Unilever appear "vague and broad", and may mislead shoppers regarding the environmental impact of those products.

It will also assess if claims about some ingredients are presented in a way that may exaggerate how ‘natural’ the product is, which could create an "inaccurate or misleading" impression.

Other concerns from the CMA include:

• claims focusing on a single aspect of a product may suggest it is environmentally friendly as a whole.
• certain green claims – particularly in relation to recyclability – may be unclear, as they fail to specify whether they relate to all or part of a product, or packaging.
• Unilever’s use of colours and imagery – such as green leaves – may create the overall impression that some products are more environmentally friendly than they actually are.

Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA, said: "More and more people are trying to do their bit to help protect the environment, but we’re worried many are being misled by so-called ‘green’ products that aren’t what they seem.

"So far, the evidence we’ve seen has raised concerns about how Unilever presents certain products as environmentally friendly. We’ll be drilling down into these claims to see if they measure up. If we find they’re greenwashing, we’ll take action to make sure shoppers are protected."

The CMA has contacted Unilever, setting out its concerns in writing. Following this, the organisation will seek to obtain further evidence to progress its investigation.

Possible outcomes include "securing undertakings from Unilever that commit the firm to change the way it operates, taking the company to court, or closing the case without further action".

A spokesperson for Unilever told TheIndustry.beauty: "We are surprised and disappointed with the CMA’s announcement and refute that our claims are in any way misleading.

"Unilever is committed to making responsible claims about the benefits of our products on our packs and to these being transparent and clear, and we have robust processes in place to make sure any claims can be substantiated.

"We use the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) to provide consumers with information on how to dispose of our packaging after use, and Unilever is a founding signatory of the UK Plastics Pact, which brings together the entire plastics packaging value chain to tackle the challenges around plastic waste.

 "We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information."

The news comes after Unilever was criticised by Greenpeace International for selling billions of polluting plastic sachets.

It found that Unilever is the biggest corporate seller of plastic sachets in the world and is predicted to sell 53 billion in 2023, equating to 1,700 sachets per second.