Original article written by: CNN Newsource
The UK antitrust regulator is looking into allegations that the company that makes Cif floor cleaning and Dove soap is "misleading" consumers about how environmentally beneficial its goods are. The Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement on Tuesday that it has launched a formal investigation into the consumer goods behemoth Unilever, citing a "initial review" of the company's marketing strategies that "uncovered a range of concerning practices."
The CMA expressed its concern that Unilever would be exaggerating how environmentally friendly some items are by using broad, ambiguous claims, ambiguous assertions about their capacity to be recycled, and photos and logos that appear "natural." Its investigation is a part of a larger investigation into greenwashing by businesses conducted by the UK regulator. The investigation was broadened in January to cover consumer goods manufacturers of "essential" products like food, drink, cleaning supplies, and toiletries. Since January, Unilever has been the only consumer products corporation to be formally examined.
The corporation, which also happens to be the biggest ice cream producer in the world and is the owner of Ben & Jerry's and Magnum, has always taken great pride in its environmental credentials. It announced plans in 2020 to reveal the amount of carbon pollution released throughout the production process and to make all of its products biodegradable by the end of the current decade.
The CMA argues that Unilever overstates the naturalness of certain of its components and that some of its commercial imagery, including green leaves, gives the false impression that some of its products are "more environmentally friendly than they actually are."