Spotlight on environmental claims raises standards in ads

23 October 2009

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today publishes the findings of its Environmental Claims Survey 2008. The report reveals a high proportion of ads (94%) with environmental claims were compliant with the advertising codes.

The ASA routinely monitors compliance levels in advertising across all media, but this is the first dedicated survey of environmental claims. The survey forms a part of a range of initiatives undertaken by the ASA to prevent consumers being misled or confused by “green” or ethical claims in ads and was prompted by a significant rise in complaints on this issue during 2007.

The survey results suggest there is increased awareness amongst businesses of the rules around green claims in advertising. A further indication that the ASA is helping improve compliance is the considerable fall in consumer complaints about environmental claims this year.

Of the 195 ads assessed across all media (TV, radio and non-broadcast), just 12 ads (6%) seemed to breach the advertising codes, all in non-broadcast media.

Where a breach of the Code was identified the Compliance team contacted the advertiser responsible to obtain an assurance that they would not publish the ads in their current form again and that future ads would comply with the relevant Code.

In the last year, the ASA has worked to establish greater understanding and awareness of the advertising codes amongst businesses to help them get their environmental messages right. This included:

• working with independent experts
• providing training events to companies and agencies
• holding a consultation seminar to engage with industry, NGOs and departments on setting parameters for environmental and ethical claims
• having dedicated specialists on-hand to give expert copy advice to advertisers, and 
• keeping online guidance up-to-date.

Director General of the ASA, Christopher Graham said: “The compliance survey demonstrates that the ASA is making real progress in ensuring environmental claims do not mislead through exaggeration, ambiguity or omission. The ASA will continue to listen to consumers and work closely with advertisers to improve standards in green and ethical claims even further. ”

Download the ASA Environmental Claims Survey 2008.