UK Green Claims Code

Green Claims Code (UK): the CMA’s six principles on GOV.UK

Direct answer. The Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code is guidance to help businesses comply with their existing obligations under consumer protection law. On the GOV.UK page the six principle headings are: claims must be truthful and accurate; claims must be clear and unambiguous; claims must not omit or hide important information; comparisons must be fair and meaningful; claims must be substantiated; and, in making the claim, you must consider the full life cycle of the product or service. Read Making environmental claims on goods and services. This page is not legal advice.

Green Claims Guard (Shopify App Store · Write a review) scans green marketing wording in a Shopify catalog and names a provision the wording may touch. It does not decide whether a claim is lawful. This page is the UK Green Claims Code — not the EU generic-claim ban.

Related: CLPLens — Hazard pictograms on the product page, not only the parcel.

Free check first: Green claim wording self-check runs in your browser and sends nothing. Paste product copy and see which environmental wording to review.

The six headings, as published

The same GOV.UK page opens with this summary list, which is close to the headings but not word-for-word the same, and which puts the life-cycle principle before substantiation:

The chapter headings on that page, which this guide treats as the principle headings, are:

GOV.UK says the principles help businesses understand how the CMA thinks the law applies. It also says the guidance is not legal advice, is not a substitute for the law, and does not replace the courts. The page says it is based on the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, and that if a business does not comply, the CMA and other bodies such as Trading Standards can bring court proceedings. The page says the guidance applies to businesses across the UK, including businesses in Northern Ireland, and to businesses based outside the UK selling to UK consumers.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024

Separately from the Code page, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 is on legislation.gov.uk. It is an Act to make provision relating to the protection of consumer rights, among other things. Commencement is not one date for the whole Act. Commencement No. 1 brings specified competition provisions into force on 1 January 2025. Commencement No. 2 brings Part 3 (enforcement of consumer protection law), and Chapter 1 of Part 4 (protection from unfair trading) except sections 232, 234, and 235, into force on 6 April 2025 to the extent they were not already in force, and brings Chapter 3 of Part 4 (consumer savings schemes) into force on 1 January 2026 to that same extent. Confirm the live commencement instruments before you treat a CMA power as in force. The Green Claims Code page quoted above still describes court proceedings and the 2008 regulations. This guide does not merge that page and the 2024 Act into one rule.

This is not the EU generic-claim ban

Directive (EU) 2024/825 is a different instrument. What it does to generic environmental wording on product copy is covered on EU generic environmental claims. This UK page does not restate that directive.

Checklist before you publish a green claim

What this page is not

Related pages

Not legal advice. Confirm the live GOV.UK Green Claims Code and the commencement regulations on legislation.gov.uk before you treat a green claim, or a CMA power, as in or out of scope. The app flags wording; it does not decide legality.