CMA Green Claims Code (Sep 2021)
For UK marketing and sustainability teams working out how the CMA expects green claims to be worded and backed up. This page covers what you need to know and ways to avoid running into issues.
What we've seen reported
The CMA Green Claims Code, published by the UK Competition and Markets Authority in September 2021, sets out six principles for environmental claims about goods and services, to help businesses meet their existing obligations under consumer protection law.1
Last updated October 2026 · General information only, not legal advice. Sources.
What the rules cover
These are the kinds of wording the CMA Green Claims Code and the CMA's 2026 supply chain guidance describe, according to their text, and how they tend to show up in real content.1,2
| Phrase or term | In practice |
|---|---|
| "Eco-friendly", "green", "sustainable" | General claims the CMA expects to reflect the whole life cycle of the product, backed by evidence. |
| "Made from recycled polyester" | A claim about the whole product when only part of it, or only some items in a range, qualifies. |
| "Compostable", "biodegradable" | Important information, such as how or where it composts, kept close to the claim, not only behind a QR code. |
| "Carbon neutral", "net zero" | A claim that leaves out information consumers need, such as whether it relies on offsetting. |
| "50% less plastic", "greener than before" | Comparisons the Code expects to be fair and meaningful, comparing like with like. |
| Green logos, leaves and imagery | How information is presented, including green logos or imagery, can itself make an environmental claim. |
| "Sustainably sourced" | Evidence kept up to date, so the claim changes when the supply chain does. |
Where it goes wrong
One approved claim ends up in many channels, markets and languages. Along the way it gets shortened, translated and reworded, and some versions end up using the very phrases you are trying to avoid.
"Kora bottle: made with 50% recycled plastic."
How Arbitr helps
Read every version by hand? Or use AI to check what you publish against what you've already approved.
FAQ
Often outside the campaign. The CMA's 2026 supply chain guidance says making a claim covers what a business says on its website, packs and branding, and how it presents information,2 and we usually find claims in:
Ask for the evidence before the claim goes live, not after a complaint. The CMA's supply chain checklist describes retailers seeking evidence from suppliers, asking for declarations and running regular checks,2 so build those steps into onboarding and every product data update. Then check that what your feeds publish still matches what was approved. Our brand compliance page shows how teams track this.
One record per claim: the approved wording, the evidence behind it and its date, the supplier who provided it, who approved it, and every channel it runs in. The Code expects evidence to be up to date,1 so give each claim a review date too. When a supplier changes, that record shows which claims to check.
How it applies to a specific claim is a question for your legal adviser. Where that claim appears across your markets and languages is a question Arbitr answers.
More than marketing and sustainability. Buying teams pass on supplier claims, e-commerce publishes them, and packaging and store teams print and display them. A short briefing for each, using examples from your own range, works better than a policy document. Rules in other markets are on our environmental claims hub.
They're separate. The Green Claims Code is UK guidance on existing consumer law,1 while Directive (EU) 2024/825, the ECGT Directive, amends EU consumer law and applies in EU member states from September 27, 2026.4
Arbitr checks your content against the rules, claims and terms your team has approved, and reports where something doesn't match, by channel, market and language. It reports matches against your rules, not legal verdicts. What to do with each one stays with your team.
