Greenwashing involves false or misleading environmental claims in advertisements across various sectors 

 A bold move has been made by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to stop misleading environmental claims in commercials, sometimes known as “greenwashing.” The recently released standards are intended to improve the veracity and openness of environmental claims used in advertising starting of 15 February 2024.

These standards, titled “Guidelines for Advertisements Making Environmental/Green Claims,” were put out for public comment starting on 16 November 2023, and were approved at a recent meeting of the Board of Governors. According to ASCI’s guidelines, greenwashing—which is defined as false or deceptive environmental claims made in marketing across a variety of industries—will henceforth be closely monitored.

According to the rules, environmental claims must highlight the features of a product or service that are actually helpful to the environment. Advertisers are advised against promising green projects in the future until they have firm plans in place. Comparative claims should show environmental benefits over competitors’ or previous companies’ offerings, while absolute statements like “eco-friendly” must be supported by solid evidence or reliable certifications. It is anticipated that general environmental claims will take the product or service’s whole life cycle into account.

ASCI emphasises how crucial it is for environmental claims to be explicit and to state whether they apply to the product, packaging, service, or just a certain part of it. Seals of approval or certifications need to be honest about the qualities that are being assessed. Visual components that convey a false sense of a product’s environmental impact, like logos or colours connected to nature, must be avoided.

Aspirational promises without well-defined plans are advised against by advertisers, and any claims about carbon offsets must be published within the next two years. Claims about qualities like as compostability, biodegradability, recyclability, non-toxicity, and the like must be validated and backed by competent and trustworthy scientific data.

The goal of ASCI’s programme is to protect consumers from misleading green marketing techniques and make sure that environmental claims are consistent with ethical business operations. This action shows a dedication to promoting authenticity and openness in advertising, especially when it comes to environmental sustainability.