A green claims compliance checklist: the six principles as a sign-off

Part 1 — the six principles, as questions

1. Truthful and accurate. Is every part of the claim true, and does the overall impression match reality — not just each word in isolation?
2. Clear and unambiguous. Would a typical customer understand exactly what benefit you're claiming, without filling in gaps more generously than the facts allow? Have you replaced vague words ("eco", "green", "sustainable") with a specific benefit?
3. No important information omitted. Have you included every caveat that changes how the claim reads — conditions, scope, reliance on offsets — close enough to the claim to be seen?
4. Fair and meaningful comparisons. If you compare ("greener than…"), is the basis clear and the methodology equivalent across the things compared?
5. Full life cycle. Is the claim true across the whole product and its packaging — or scoped precisely to the stage it actually covers?
6. Substantiated. Do you hold clear, credible, accessible evidence a consumer could reach (an LCA, test data, independent verification)?

Part 2 — beyond the words

The Code reaches your labels and design too. Check each:

• Self-made badges. Does any in-house "eco"/"ocean" seal read as an independent endorsement it isn't? If so, remove it or replace it with a recognised certification you actually hold.
• Brand and product names. Does the name ("Eco-", "Green-", "-Pure") imply a benefit that needs substantiating?
• Imagery. Do a leaf motif, a green palette or nature imagery create an "eco" impression the product can't back up?
• Third-party logos. Does every certification logo you display come from a scheme that genuinely covers this product, and is it current?

Part 3 — evidence you should be able to produce

• Specific benefit claim → the LCA, test data or independent verification behind it, accessible to a consumer.
• Blanket "green"/"eco" word kept → a recognised certification covering exactly this product and claim (or drop the word).
• Future target ("net zero by …") → a clear, costed, publicly available plan with independently verified interim milestones, presented as a target, not a present fact.
• Recyclability → evidence it's actually recycled in practice through UK collection, not just recyclable in theory.
• Certification scope → confirmation the certification covers each blanket claim you keep (a cert on one line doesn't license a claim across the range).

Part 4 — if it runs in advertising

A claim in a paid ad must also satisfy the ASA's CAP/BCAP Code, on top of the Green Claims Code and the DMCCA. A claim written to pass the six principles will usually clear the CAP Code too — but have marketing sign off ad copy against the CAP Code as a separate step, especially for any carbon-neutral or net-zero wording.

Part 5 — the honest limit

A checklist reduces risk; it does not certify compliance. The DMCCA regime is live, with no grace period, and the CMA can fine up to £300,000 or 10% of worldwide turnover, whichever is greater, for a consumer-law breach. A claim you can't confidently tick, or one that's high-stakes, should go to qualified counsel before it goes to print.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• CMA Green Claims Code (2021) — the six principles this checklist is built from, plus its guidance on labels, names and imagery. gov.uk — Green Claims Code
• CMA guidance: "Making environmental claims on goods and services" — the detailed CMA guidance behind the principles. gov.uk — How to make environmental claims about products and services
• ASA/CAP: environmental claims (general) — the advertising rules a claim must also meet if it runs in ads. asa.org.uk — Environmental claims: general
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 — the enforcement regime and penalties; in force 6 April 2025. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13

Content current as of 9 July 2026. Guidance and the CMA/DMCCA position can change — re-check the primary source before acting on anything time-sensitive.