Sixteen AGs Submitted Comments Calling for FTC to Do More to Address Greenwashing

APRIL 24, 2023

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb led a coalition of 16 attorneys general in responding to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) request for comments on the review of and potential updates to its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, also known as “Green Guides.” The FTC is reviewing the Guides for the first time in over a decade. In their comments, the AGs explained that the Green Guides are critical in helping consumers confidently make informed purchasing decisions, and that it is important to keep the Guides updated because many state laws either incorporate or reference them. The comments also provided recommendations for improving guidelines around marketing claims beyond just recyclability, including claims about carbon offsets, climate change, fossil fuels, and renewable energy.