The UK Competition and Markets Authority will review green claims made by ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda.

As British consumers become more engaged in purchasing sustainable clothing and accessories, major companies are keen to persuade them that their product fits into the ‘green’ category.

However, the CMA says it will investigate the green and sustainability claims made by the three companies as part of its ongoing investigation into possible greenwashing and follows concerns about the way the companies’ products are marketed to customers. .

In January this year, the CMA focused on the fashion sector, where consumers spend an estimated £54bn annually and its initial review identified concerns about potentially misleading green claims.

These included a number of companies that created the impression that their products were ‘sustainable’ or better for the environment, for example by making blanket claims about the use of recycled materials in new clothing, with little or no information on the basis those claims or exactly what products they related to.

Basically, it comes down to how products are described and also whether the amount of recycled material included in your clothing is clear to the consumer, as some items may contain as little as 20 percent recycled fabric.

At this stage, this is just an investigative mission and the CMA has written to all three companies outlining their concerns and will use their intelligence-gathering powers to obtain evidence to further their investigation.

Once concluded, the facts discovered will be revealed and a decision will be made as to whether any further action is required.

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