New Guidelines for ‘Green’ Products on the Horizon

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed tighter restrictions on enviro-friendly claims in advertising and on food packaging. The guidelines haven’t been updates since 1998, the Associated Press reports, so the current rules were written before the “go green” craze crept into the nation’s potato chips and produce.

According to the Associated Press:

Aiming to clear up confusion for consumers about what various terms mean, the Federal Trade Commission has revised its guidelines for businesses that make claims about so-called “eco-friendly” products.

The proposed new version of the agency’s Green Guides was released Wednesday, with recommendations for when to use words like “degradable” and “carbon offset” in advertisements and packaging, and warnings about using certifications and seals of approval that send misleading messages.