Making environmental claims

Use the ACCC's eight principles as a claim review.

• Make accurate and truthful claims.
• Have evidence to support the claim.
• Do not hide or omit important information.
• Explain conditions or qualifications.
• Avoid broad and unqualified claims.
• Use clear and easy-to-understand language.
• Do not use visual elements that give the wrong impression.
• Be direct and open about sustainability transitions.

Define the representation before collecting evidence.

Terms such as 'sustainable', 'eco-friendly', 'recyclable', 'biodegradable', 'carbon neutral', 'responsibly sourced' or 'made with recycled materials' can communicate different claims about a product, packaging, business or lifecycle. State the intended meaning, scope, geography, conditions and timeframe.

Match evidence to the exact product and claim.

• Identify the SKU, material, supplier, production period and market.
• Check methodology, assumptions, boundaries, sample and independent assurance.
• Verify certificates, chain-of-custody records and supplier statements rather than relying on logos alone.
• Ensure qualifications are prominent enough to correct the headline impression.

Approve, monitor and retire claims.

Give each claim an owner, approval record, evidence location and review date. Reassess after product, supplier, material, methodology or regulatory changes. Withdraw or correct a claim when the evidence no longer supports it across websites, packaging, marketplaces and campaign assets.

Questions to ask

Focus on the decision and the evidence.

1. 01

   What exact claim will an ordinary customer understand?

2. 02

   Does the evidence match the product, scope, geography and period?

3. 03

   Who approves, monitors, expires or withdraws the claim?

Official sources

Check the primary material.

• ACCC - Guide to making environmental claims for business ↗
• ACCC - Environmental and sustainability claims ↗

Practical support

Apply the guidance to your facts.

Identify the exact product, claim, customer journey, supplier, legal entity or business process involved. Preserve the information that supports the current position, record unresolved facts, assign an owner and confirm the point at which specialist review is required.

Important information

Check the current position.

This resource is general information, not legal advice. Laws, regulator guidance and proposals can change. Do not rely on a title or summary alone to decide whether a requirement applies to a particular entity, product or activity.