ASOS, Boohoo investigated over ‘green’ claims

Uh oh, there’s a chance that some brands might not be as ‘green’ as they say they are and the CMA have noticed. According to an announcement released by the The Competition and Markets Authority, ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda are about to be scrutinised over their eco-friendly and sustainability claims. Is it all too good to be true?

It’s not confirmed whether or not these companies have been greenwashing, but with the fashion sector alone bringing in an estimated £54 billion annually it’s good to check.

Right now, could quite possibly be the worst time for people to find out the brands they trust may have been misleading them about their ‘fight towards a healthier planet.’ Consumers are already watching what and where they buy due to an unsettled economy but buying sustainably is still an important factor for many.

ASOS and Boohoo can both be considered as fast fashion brands as they churn out clothing like there is no tomorrow. In many cases, this makes it cheaper for customers to buy new clothing. Fast Fashion brands putting more focus on their eco-friendly mission is attractive to financially and environmentally conscious consumers but the CMA’s initial review identified concerns around potentially misleading green claims.

The ‘green’ claims investigation

Now it’s up to Boohoo, ASOS and Asda to show that their ‘green’ claims are legit, but the CMA will be investigating the following:

• the statements and language used by the businesses are too broad and vague, and may create the impression that clothing collections – such as the ‘Responsible edit’ from ASOS, Boohoo’s current ‘Ready for the Future’ range, and ‘George for Good’ – are more environmentally sustainable than they actually are
• the criteria used by some of these businesses to decide which products to include in these collections may be lower than customers might reasonably expect from their descriptions and overall presentation – for example, some products may contain as little as 20% recycled fabric
• some items have been included in these collections when they do not meet the criteria
• there is a lack of information provided to customers about products included in any of the companies’ eco ranges, such as missing information about what the fabric is made from
• any statements made by the companies about fabric accreditation schemes and standards are potentially misleading, such as a lack of clarity as to whether the accreditation applies to particular products or to the firm’s wider practices