ASCI proposes guidelines to check on greenwashing
The Advertising Standards Council of India has proposed draft guidelines to combat greenwashing by mandating evidence-based environmental advertising. These regulations require absolute claims like "eco-friendly" to meet high substantiation standards, ensuring transparency and preventing misleading marketing practices that exploit consumer goodwill. Crucially, advertisers must evaluate claims based on a product’s full life cycle, prohibiting selective highlighting of minor benefits while ignoring larger environmental harms. This approach directly addresses common greenwashing tactics where companies emphasize positive attributes of specific components to distract from the overall negative ecological impact of their products or services. Furthermore, the guidelines restrict aspirational future claims and enforce strict rules for carbon offset disclosures. By requiring clear certification sources and scientific backing for biodegradability, the initiative aims to restore trust in green marketing. This is vital for consumers seeking authentic sustainability, as it establishes a framework for accountability and reduces deceptive environmental representations in the marketplace.
Source: thehindubusinessline.comPublished on 2023-11-17