General Environmental Benefit Claims

When making environmental claims, it’s important to make sure they are clear, truthful and specific—or people may misinterpret the language to mean a package has greater benefits than it actually does. Not only is misleading information unfair to people making purchasing decisions, it can also give rise to legal action.

It is illegal to use phrases such as “eco-friendly” or “green” or imagery that conveys far-reaching environmental benefits or minimal negative environmental impacts unless producers can substantiate all reasonable ways consumers may interpret these claims.

Labeling tips

  • DO include clear and prominent language limiting the claim (whether it is text or images) to the particular attributes that you can substantiate.
  • DO be sure you can substantiate that the attribute provides a net environmental benefit.
  • DON’T state or imply any specific benefit that is negligible.
  • DON’T allow the context to imply deceptive claims (in other words, take care that people will not infer other benefits than the one stated).

Examples
Example/Claim Right or Wrong? Why?

"Bleached with a process that substantially reduces, but does not eliminate, harmful substances associated with chlorine bleaching"
Right

If substantiated, this claim is unlikely to be deceptive since it does not overstate the packaging’s benefits and focuses on a specific attribute.

"Made with 25% post-consumer recycled content”
Right

If substantiated, this claim is unlikely to be deceptive since it does not overstate the packaging's benefits and focuses on a specific attribute.

"Environmentally friendly because it was not chlorine bleached, a process that has been shown to create harmful substances"
Wrong

This claim is deceptive. Bleaching processes other than chlorine bleaching might reduce the environmental impact, but still release significantly harmful substances in the environment. By claiming that the packaging is “environmentally friendly,” consumers will likely be led to the interpretation that no significant harmful substance was released when producing the packaging.