Dove and Marmite maker Unilever faces investigation over green claims

Dove soap and Hellmann’s mayonnaise maker Unilever is being investigated over its environmental claims, amid concerns shoppers are being misled.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Unilever may be overstating how “green” certain products are.

Unilever makes household names such as Cif, Dove and the deodorant brand Lynx.

The consumer giant said it was “surprised and disappointed” with the announcement and refuted its claims were “in any way misleading”.

But the CMA said certain statements and language used by Unilever on some of its products “appear vague and broad” and “may mislead shoppers”.

The watchdog also said some product ingredients were presented on packaging in a way to exaggerate how natural the products seemed, known as “corporate greenwashing”.

It highlighted Unilever’s use of colours and imagery – such as green leaves – as a cause of concern, arguing it could again overstate the products’ environmental friendliness.

“More and more people are trying to do their bit to help protect the environment, but we’re worried many are being misled by so-called ‘green’ products that aren’t what they seem,” said CMA boss Sarah Cardwell.

“So far, the evidence we’ve seen has raised concerns about how Unilever presents certain products as environmentally friendly.”

The move comes as part of a wider investigation into green claims made in advertising for goods such as toiletries, cleaning products, food and drink.

Shoppers spent more than £130bn last year on household essentials, including food and drink, cleaning products, and personal care items, the CMA said earlier this year.

A significant number of these are marketed as green or environmentally friendly, including up to 91% of all dishwashing items and 100% of toilet products, according to the watchdog.

Unilever said in a statement it was committed to making responsible claims that were “transparent and clear”.

“We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information,” a spokesperson added.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has also been cracking down on companies it suspects of greenwashing.

Adverts for Air France, Lufthansa and Etihad were banned in December for misleading consumers about the airlines’ environmental impact.

Lufthansa and Etihad have since removed the ads, while Air France did not reply to the BBC’s request to comment.