Fraudulent claims of eco-friendliness by brands are being investigated

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Department of Consumer Affairs are collaborating to form a task force to combat greenwashing or false pro-environment claims made by brands in a variety of industries, including fast fashion, air conditioners, cars, foods, cosmetics, and fuel, The Economic Times reported.

The secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Rohit Kumar Singh has been quoted in the story saying that the task force will educate consumers and examine brands to ensure that terms like eco-friendly, energy-efficient, biodegradable, organic, or net-zero plastic, green, etc. are not used to mislead consumers without any verification or proof.

The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 describes greenwashing as an unfair trade practice. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) maintains a green product certification process to monitor eco-friendly products, and green badges such as Energy Star and EcoMark are issued for products that satisfy energy efficiency, water conservation, and sustainable raw material sourcing requirements. However, there is a significant increase in greenwashed products.