Tiskové zprávy
DEFRA: Berte vážně "Green Claims", vzkázala vláda průmyslu
5. prosince 2003 | DEFRA
Businesses must not bend the rules when making claims for their products' green credentials, government ministers warned today.
Firms must do more to make sure that their environmental claims are true, legal and can be trusted by consumers, says new guidance published today by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Green Claims - Practical Guidance spells out the dos and don'ts for businesses, and encourages more firms to give consumers better information about the environmental performance of their products.
Ministers want to raise the standard of green claims, with labels that are accurate, truthful and unambiguous, in plain language or with symbols that have clear meanings. Businesses should be able to substantiate and verify any claims they make.
The new guidance adds to the existing Green Claims Code, and in partnership with industry bodies the government has produced more detailed advice for makers of aerosols, paints, greetings cards, cleaning products and growing media.
Lord Whitty, Minister for Business and the Environment, said:
"Many products we use every day, from detergents to TVs, carry some kind of environmental claim or symbol about the materials they are produced from, the energy they consume, or how to dispose of them responsibly.
"Many parts of industry have a good record, but false, misleading or meaningless information undermines consumers' faith in green claims and labels generally. It's not acceptable just to stick 'environment friendly' or 'kind to nature' on a product. We want to ensure that business gets it right, avoids mistakes and follows good practice.
"Environmental information is important. Where there is a good story to tell, it can help enhance a company's reputation, but the opposite applies if the information is confusing, not credible, or just not right for the product."
DTI Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:
"In future when consumers see green claims, we want them to feel sure that they really are buying green products. This guidance will help businesses to give clear information about their products, and help consumers make informed choices that benefit the environment.
"The support of industry bodies in producing these sets of guidance demonstrate the importance they place on businesses following best practice."
Another new initiative is an e-mail newsletter and website, Pitching Green, aimed at getting the message about good practice direct to businesses. Defra has also published a Shopper's Guide explaining the range of reliable green symbols seen in UK shops.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes for editors
Green Claims - Practical Guidance is published jointly by Defra and DTI, supported by the CBI, British Retail Consortium, Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services, and British Standards Institution. It is online at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/index.htm
The five sector guidance notes were developed in association with the British Aerosols Manufacturers' Association, UK Cleaning Products Industry Association, British Coatings Federation, Greeting Card Association and Growing Media Association. They are online at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/index.htm.
Copies of these and the Shopper's Guide are also available free from Defra - Admail 6000, London, SW1A 2XX (tel 08459 556000).
Pitching Green is online at http://www.pitching-green.gov.uk.
Firms must do more to make sure that their environmental claims are true, legal and can be trusted by consumers, says new guidance published today by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Green Claims - Practical Guidance spells out the dos and don'ts for businesses, and encourages more firms to give consumers better information about the environmental performance of their products.
Ministers want to raise the standard of green claims, with labels that are accurate, truthful and unambiguous, in plain language or with symbols that have clear meanings. Businesses should be able to substantiate and verify any claims they make.
The new guidance adds to the existing Green Claims Code, and in partnership with industry bodies the government has produced more detailed advice for makers of aerosols, paints, greetings cards, cleaning products and growing media.
Lord Whitty, Minister for Business and the Environment, said:
"Many products we use every day, from detergents to TVs, carry some kind of environmental claim or symbol about the materials they are produced from, the energy they consume, or how to dispose of them responsibly.
"Many parts of industry have a good record, but false, misleading or meaningless information undermines consumers' faith in green claims and labels generally. It's not acceptable just to stick 'environment friendly' or 'kind to nature' on a product. We want to ensure that business gets it right, avoids mistakes and follows good practice.
"Environmental information is important. Where there is a good story to tell, it can help enhance a company's reputation, but the opposite applies if the information is confusing, not credible, or just not right for the product."
DTI Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:
"In future when consumers see green claims, we want them to feel sure that they really are buying green products. This guidance will help businesses to give clear information about their products, and help consumers make informed choices that benefit the environment.
"The support of industry bodies in producing these sets of guidance demonstrate the importance they place on businesses following best practice."
Another new initiative is an e-mail newsletter and website, Pitching Green, aimed at getting the message about good practice direct to businesses. Defra has also published a Shopper's Guide explaining the range of reliable green symbols seen in UK shops.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes for editors
Green Claims - Practical Guidance is published jointly by Defra and DTI, supported by the CBI, British Retail Consortium, Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services, and British Standards Institution. It is online at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/index.htm
The five sector guidance notes were developed in association with the British Aerosols Manufacturers' Association, UK Cleaning Products Industry Association, British Coatings Federation, Greeting Card Association and Growing Media Association. They are online at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/index.htm.
Copies of these and the Shopper's Guide are also available free from Defra - Admail 6000, London, SW1A 2XX (tel 08459 556000).
Pitching Green is online at http://www.pitching-green.gov.uk.
Online diskuse
Redakce Ekolistu vítá čtenářské názory, komentáře a postřehy. Tím, že zde publikujete svůj příspěvek, se ale zároveň zavazujete dodržovat pravidla diskuse. V případě porušení si redakce vyhrazuje právo smazat diskusní příspěvěk
