UK competition authority accepts undertakings from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda on green claims (2024)
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
On 27 March 2024 the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda had signed formal undertakings to use only accurate and clear green claims, after an investigation opened in July 2022. The undertakings were given voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability.
Voluntary undertakings, without admission of wrongdoing or liability; the CMA said only a court can decide whether a breach has occurred.
Status As of 27 March 2024: undertakings accepted, without admission of wrongdoing; no later developments in the sources reviewed.
What happened
On 27 March 2024 the CMA announced that ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda had signed formal undertakings committing them to change the way they display, describe and promote their green credentials. The CMA said the three firms together make over £4.4 billion annually from UK fashion sales alone, and that it had opened its investigation in July 2022 after identifying concerns of possible greenwashing in an initial review of the fashion sector.
Among other things, the undertakings require the firms to ensure all green claims are accurate and not misleading; to use specific terms such as "organic" or "recycled" rather than ambiguous ones such as "eco", "responsible" or "sustainable" without further explanation; to set out the criteria for green ranges, such as ASOS's former "Responsible edit", Boohoo's "Ready for the Future" and George at Asda's "George for Good"; not to use natural imagery such as green leaves in a way that suggests a product is more environmentally friendly than it is; to keep search filters accurate; to support any environmental target with a clear and verifiable strategy; and not to mislead on accreditation schemes. The firms must report regularly to the CMA on compliance. The CMA also issued an open letter urging all fashion retailers to review their claims.
The CMA stated that the undertakings were given voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability, and that it should not be assumed that the firms have breached the law because only a court can decide whether a breach has occurred.
- 202229 July: CMA opens its investigation into ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda over fashion green claims
- 202427 March: CMA announces undertakings from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda and issues an open letter to the fashion sector
What was said
“Following our action, the millions of people who shop with these well-known businesses can now have confidence in the green claims they see.”
How it looked
Shown
- Green ranges and related claims named by the CMA: ASOS's former "Responsible edit", Boohoo's "Ready for the Future" and George at Asda's "George for Good"; terms such as "eco", "responsible" and "sustainable"; natural imagery such as green leaves.ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda, as described by the CMA · Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK press release)
Recorded
- The CMA accepted undertakings from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda to use only accurate and clear green claims; they were given voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability.
- The firms must regularly provide the CMA with reports on how they are complying with the undertakings.
- When it opened the investigation on 29 July 2022 the CMA said it would examine whether the firms' statements were too broad and vague, whether the criteria for green ranges such as ASOS's "Responsible edit" might be lower than customers would expect (for example, some products might contain as little as 20% recycled fabric), and whether statements on fabric accreditation schemes were potentially misleading; it said it had not reached a view on whether there had been any breaches of consumer protection law.
In nature's name
What was measured
The outcome is a set of undertakings with no finding on the claims. No independent measurement of an environmental benefit from the retailers' green ranges or products is on record in the sources reviewed.
Findings on record
- Registry action UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (2024-03-27) · Undertakings accepted from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda; given voluntarily, without admission of wrongdoing or liability: “must ensure all green claims are accurate and not misleading” Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK press release)
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024-03-27SettledCMA undertakings on green claims: ASOS, Boohoo, George at AsdaUK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) · Regulatory · CMA → ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda
The CMA accepted undertakings on green claims, given voluntarily and without admission of wrongdoing or liability; the CMA said only a court can decide whether a breach has occurred. Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK press release)
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record ASOS's, Boohoo's and Asda's own responses: not on record in the sources reviewed.
- None on record The sources reviewed give no penalty or payment.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not state whether the undertakings can be enforced in court.
- None on record The text of each firm's undertaking is not among the sources reviewed; the CMA's press release and case page list the main terms.
Did the harm stop?
Not established in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
No payment is recorded in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Green claims: CMA secures landmark changes from ASOS, Boohoo and AsdaCompetition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK press release) · 2024-03-27
- Fashion greenwashing: investigation into ASOS, Boohoo and AsdaCompetition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK case page) · 2024-03-27