[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 16, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2006] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 16CFR260.6] [Page 182-183] TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES CHAPTER I--FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION PART 260_GUIDES FOR THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS--Table of Contents Sec. 260.6 General principles. The following general principles apply to all environmental marketing claims, including, but not limited to, those described in Sec. 260.7. In addition, Sec. 260.7 contains specific guidance applicable to certain environmental marketing claims. Claims should comport with all relevant provisions of these guides, not simply the provision that seems most directly applicable. (a) Qualifications and disclosures. The Commission traditionally has held that in order to be effective, any qualifications or disclosures such as those described in these guides should be sufficiently clear, prominent and understandable to prevent deception. Clarity of language, relative type size and proximity to the claim being qualified, and an absence of contrary claims that could undercut effectiveness, will maximize the likelihood that the qualifications and disclosures are appropriately clear and prominent. (b) Distinction between benefits of product, package and service. An environmental marketing claim should be presented in a way that makes clear whether the environmental attribute or benefit being asserted refers to the product, the product's packaging, a service or to a portion or component of the product, package or service. In general, if the environmental attribute or benefit applies to all but minor, incidental components of a product or package, the claim need not be qualified to identify that fact. There may be exceptions to this general principle. For example, if an unqualified ``recyclable'' claim is made and the presence of the incidental component significantly limits the ability to recycle the product, then the claim would be deceptive. Example 1: A box of aluminum foil is labeled with the claim ``recyclable,'' without further elaboration. Unless the type of product, surrounding language, or other context of the phrase establishes whether the claim refers to the foil or the box, the claim is deceptive if any part of either the box or the foil, other than minor, incidental components, cannot be recycled. Example 2: A soft drink bottle is labeled ``recycled.'' The bottle is made entirely from recycled materials, but the bottle cap is not. Because reasonable consumers are likely to consider the bottle cap to be a minor, incidental component of the package, the claim is not deceptive. Similarly, it would not be deceptive to label a shopping bag ``recycled'' where the bag is made entirely of recycled material but the easily detachable handle, an incidental component, is not. (c) Overstatement of environmental attribute: An environmental marketing claim should not be presented in a manner that overstates the environmental attribute or benefit, expressly [[Page 183]] or by implication. Marketers should avoid implications of significant environmental benefits if the benefit is in fact negligible. Example 1: A package is labeled, ``50% more recycled content than before.'' The manufacturer increased the recycled content of its package from 2 percent recycled material to 3 percent recycled material. Although the claim is technically true, it is likely to convey the false impression that the advertiser has increased significantly the use of recycled material. Example 2: A trash bag is labeled ``recyclable'' without qualification. Because trash bags will ordinarily not be separated out from other trash at the landfill or incinerator for recycling, they are highly unlikely to be used again for any purpose. Even if the bag is technically capable of being recycled, the claim is deceptive since it asserts an environmental benefit where no significant or meaningful benefit exists. Example 3: A paper grocery sack is labeled ``reusable.'' The sack can be brought back to the store and reused for carrying groceries but will fall apart after two or three reuses, on average. Because reasonable consumers are unlikely to assume that a paper grocery sack is durable, the unqualified claim does not overstate the environmental benefit conveyed to consumers. The claim is not deceptive and does not need to be qualified to indicate the limited reuse of the sack. Example 4: A package of paper coffee filters is labeled ``These filters were made with a chlorine-free bleaching process.'' The filters are bleached with a process that releases into the environment a reduced, but still significant, amount of the same harmful byproducts associated with chlorine bleaching. The claim is likely to overstate the product's benefits because it is likely to be interpreted by consumers to mean that the product's manufacture does not cause any of the environmental risks posed by chlorine bleaching. A claim, however, that the filters were ``bleached with a process that substantially reduces, but does not eliminate, harmful substances associated with chlorine bleaching'' would not, if substantiated, overstate the product's benefits and is unlikely to be deceptive. (d) Comparative claims: Environmental marketing claims that include a comparative statement should be presented in a manner that makes the basis for the comparison sufficiently clear to avoid consumer deception. In addition, the advertiser should be able to substantiate the comparison. Example 1: An advertiser notes that its shampoo bottle contains ``20% more recycled content.'' The claim in its context is ambiguous. Depending on contextual factors, it could be a comparison either to the advertiser's immediately preceding product or to a competitor's product. The advertiser should clarify the claim to make the basis for comparison clear, for example, by saying ``20% more recycled content than our previous package.'' Otherwise, the advertiser should be prepared to substantiate whatever comparison is conveyed to reasonable consumers. Example 2: An advertiser claims that ``our plastic diaper liner has the most recycled content.'' The advertised diaper does have more recycled content, calculated as a percentage of weight, than any other on the market, although it is still well under 100% recycled. Provided the recycled content and the comparative difference between the product and those of competitors are significant and provided the specific comparison can be substantiated, the claim is not deceptive. Example 3: An ad claims that the advertiser's packaging creates ``less waste than the leading national brand.'' The advertiser's source reduction was implemented sometime ago and is supported by a calculation comparing the relative solid waste contributions of the two packages. The advertiser should be able to substantiate that the comparison remains accurate. [61 FR 53316, Oct. 11, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 24248, May 1, 1998]