The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, the supervisory authority in Finland for compliance with consumer law has recently required multiple companies to stop using misleading environmental claims in marketing in the recent years.
In the latest decisions, the Director of Consumer Division of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, the Finnish Consumer Ombudsman examined misleading environmental claims on the websites of Marimekko Corporation and Stockmann Plc. The online shops gave a misleading impression of their responsibility, sustainability and environmental friendliness by phrases such as "More Sustainable" and "Responsible choice". In addition, Stockmann used a green leaf symbol in its websites.
According to the Consumer Ombudsman, the environmental claims made were too vague and their content had not been explained in connection with the claims. The Consumer Ombudsman clarified that if such claims are made, they must be specified in their immediate context and must be made clear to a consumer at first glance what a concrete environmental claim is based on. The consumer cannot be expected to seek clarification for a vague environmental claim on another website.
In addition, regarding the green leaf symbol used by Stockmann, the Consumer Ombudsman stated that marketing must be designed in such a way that the consumer cannot unnoticeably skip past the clarification of the symbol or expression and it should not be necessary to search for information behind long link chains.
If following green claims are used in marketing, their content must be explained in connection with the claims: