Contents
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Undertakings accepted
from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda
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Launch of
investigation
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Compliance review
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Contact
Undertakings accepted from ASOS, Boohoo and George at
Asda
27 March 2024: ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda have signed formal
agreements to use only accurate and clear green claims. The
undertakings secured by the CMA commit ASOS, Boohoo and George at
Asda to change the way they display, describe, and promote their
green credentials, meaning millions of customers can expect to
see clear and accurate green claims.
The firms have each signed an undertaking that commits them to an
agreed set of rules around the use of green claims. Amongst other
things, these include:
- Green claims: ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda must ensure all
green claims are accurate and not misleading. Key information
must be clear and prominent, meaning it must be expressed in
plain language, easy to read, and clearly visible to shoppers.
- Statements regarding fabrics: Statements made about materials
in green ranges must be specific and clear, such as ‘organic’ or
‘recycled’, rather than ambiguous – e.g. using terms like ‘eco’,
‘responsible’, or ‘sustainable’, without further explanation. The
percentage of recycled or organic fibres must be clearly
displayed and easy for customers to see. A product cannot be
called ‘recycled’ or ‘organic’ unless it meets certain criteria.
- Criteria for green ranges: The criteria used to decide which
products are included in environmental collections – such as
ASOS’s former ‘Responsible edit’, Boohoo’s ‘Ready for the Future’
range, and George at Asda’s ‘George for Good’, and any further
ranges – must be clearly set out and detail any minimum
requirements. For example, if products need to contain a certain
percentage of recycled fibres to be included in the range, this
should be made clear. Products must not be marketed or labelled
as part of an environmental range unless they meet all the
relevant criteria.
- Use of imagery: The firms must not use ‘natural’ imagery –
such as green leaves – logos, or icons to suggest a product is
more environmentally friendly than it actually is.
- Product filters: Search filters must be accurate, only
showing items that meet the filter requirements – for example, if
a consumer uses a filter to show ‘recycled’ trousers, only
trousers made from predominantly recycled materials should be
shown.
- Environmental targets: Any claims made to consumers about
environmental targets must be supported by a clear and verifiable
strategy, and customers must be able to access more details about
it. Such information should include what the target is aiming to
achieve, the date by which it is expected to be met, and how the
company in question will seek to achieve that target.
- Accreditation schemes: Statements made by the companies about
accreditation schemes and standards must not be misleading. For
example, statements must make clear whether an accreditation
applies to particular products or to the firm’s wider practices.
All 3 firms must also regularly provide the CMA with reports on
how they are complying with the commitments they signed – as well
as taking steps to improve their internal processes.
As part of today’s update, the CMA has also issued an open letter
to the sector, urging fashion retail businesses to review their
claims and practices in light of the undertakings, which set a
benchmark for the industry.
To further help businesses stay on the right side of the law, the
CMA is set to build on its current Green Claims Code,
with additional information that will be tailored to the fashion
sector.
