Guide
How to word a plastic claim: the CMA Green Claims Code in practice
On this page 7 sections
A claim about plastic is a promise to the person reading it. I am more comfortable with specific language: what was collected, what was reused, who did the work and what we learned. Bold words are fine, as long as you can stand behind every one of them.
This guide applies the Competition and Markets Authority's Green Claims Code to the plastic claims businesses make most often. It is a practical summary, not legal advice. If you are new to plastic credits, start with What is a plastic credit?.
The rules in brief
The CMA published the Green Claims Code in September 2021 to help businesses comply with consumer protection law when they make environmental claims. It sets six principles:
Claims must be truthful and accurate.
Claims must be clear and unambiguous.
Claims must not omit or hide important information.
Comparisons must be fair and meaningful.
Claims must consider the full life cycle of the product or service.
Claims must be substantiated.
Since 6 April 2025, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, the CMA can decide for itself that a business has broken consumer law and fine it up to 10% of global turnover. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) also rules on environmental claims in advertising.
Common plastic claims and how to make them
"Made from recycled plastic." Say how much and which part. The Code applies to the whole impression a claim gives, so "made from recycled plastic" on a bottle suggests the whole bottle. If only the body is recycled and the cap and label are not, say so in the claim itself. Give the percentage.
"Recyclable." Recyclable in theory is not the same as recyclable where your customer lives. If most local services do not collect the material, a bare "recyclable" can mislead. Say what to do: which part, and how.
"Reduced plastic." Give the size of the reduction and the comparison. The Code includes an example of a yoghurt pot promoted as having "reduced plastic packaging" when the cut was only 5%. A small change presented as a big one is misleading even if it is true.
"Plastic-free." Plastic-free means no plastic, including linings, films and coatings. In 2021 the ASA upheld complaints against a drinks brand's "plastic free" and "zero plastic" claims. In April 2025 it upheld complaints against OceanSaver's "plastic-free" and "zero microplastics" claims for laundry capsules wrapped in a PVOH film.
"Ocean plastic" or "saves the ocean." In the OceanSaver ruling, the ASA also rejected the claim that more than 2 million pieces of plastic had been saved from the ocean. The company had sales figures, but the ASA had not seen evidence that they had prevented the claimed plastic from entering the sea. If your plastic was collected on land, say so. Our guide to ocean-bound plastic explains the categories.
"Plastic neutral" or "net zero plastic." These suggest your plastic has been cancelled out. Funding the collection of other plastic does not do that. The Code says businesses that use offsetting should give information about the scheme they use, and the EU now bans product claims of neutrality based on offsetting under Directive 2024/825. We advise against neutral-style plastic claims altogether. See Are plastic credits greenwashing?.
"Sustainable", "eco-friendly", "green". Broad, vague words are the hardest to substantiate. The CMA's investigation of Unilever, opened in December 2023, cited concerns about vague and broad claims. The CMA closed it in November 2024 after Unilever changed some claims, without taking a view on whether the law had been broken. The lesson stands: replace general words with specific facts.
Claims about plastic credits
Plastic credits fund work outside your own products, so the claim has to describe that work and not your packaging. Keep the claim in proportion to the work, and be ready to show that the money made something happen beyond what would have happened anyway.
| Avoid | Prefer |
|---|---|
| "Our packaging is plastic neutral" | "We funded the collection of 30 tonnes of plastic in Vietnam in 2026, through credits retired in our name" |
| "Every order removes plastic from the ocean" | "Each order funds the collection of 100 g of plastic in coastal Ghana, collected on land before it reaches the sea" |
| "We are a plastic-negative company" | "In 2026 we cut our own plastic packaging by 18% and funded the collection of 30 tonnes elsewhere" |
| "Certified plastic credits" | Name the standard, the project and the registry link |
The examples are illustrative; use your own figures. A good claim also says what happened to the plastic: recycled, co-processed or landfilled. What happens to collected plastic explains why that matters, and buying plastic credits responsibly covers choosing the credits.
A checklist before you publish
Is it true for the whole product? Check caps, labels, linings and secondary packaging.
Is it specific? A number, a material, a place and a year.
Would a reasonable customer read it the way you mean it? Test it on someone outside the team.
Is anything important missing? Such as the share recycled, or that collection was on land.
Is the comparison fair? Against what, and by how much?
Does it reflect the full life cycle? A recycled bottle shipped across the world may not be a better choice overall.
Can you prove it today? Keep the evidence: supplier certificates, test results, registry entries.
Does the image say more than the words? Green leaves and ocean scenes count as part of the claim.
What this means for us
We aim to hold our own content to the same rules. Phrases such as "plastic neutral", "zero impact" and "saving the planet" promise more than any project can show, so we leave them out. Where we can, we describe the collection we funded, the people who did the work and the evidence behind it.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the CMA Green Claims Code?
Guidance published by the Competition and Markets Authority in September 2021 setting out six principles for environmental claims under UK consumer law.
Can the CMA fine a business for a misleading plastic claim?
Yes. Since 6 April 2025 the CMA can decide a business has broken consumer law and fine it up to 10% of global turnover.
Can I say my product is plastic-free if the packaging has a plastic lining?
No. The ASA has upheld complaints against "plastic free" claims where plastic was present or not ruled out.
Can I call my business plastic neutral if I buy plastic credits?
We advise against it. Credits fund other plastic; they do not cancel yours. Describe what the credits funded instead.
Is "recyclable" a safe claim?
Only if it is true for the whole item and customers can recycle it in practice. Say which parts and how.
Sources
- CMA, Green Claims Code (September 2021)
- CMA, Environmental claims on goods and services: guidance
- RPC, Green claims update: April 2025 (DMCC Act enforcement)
- ASA, Ruling on OceanSaver Ltd (April 2025)
- ASA, Ruling on Class Delta Ltd t/a abnormal. (November 2021)
- CMA, Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) environmental claims case page
- EU Directive 2024/825, Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition
Published by Reclaimed Earth Limited (Companies House 17392812), which works with plastic recovery projects in India, Indonesia and the Philippines and has a commercial interest in plastic credits. This article is general information, not legal advice. Edited with the Reclaimed Earth editorial team. Last updated 20 October 2026.