Green Claims Checker
Paste your marketing copy and instantly spot environmental claims that risk breaching the rules in the EU, UK and US — from the EU Empowering Consumers Directive to the UK CMA code and the US FTC guides. Free, and your text never leaves your browser.
This is an educational tool, not legal advice. It checks the wording of claims — not the evidence behind them — and runs entirely in your browser.
Paste your marketing copy above, or try an example, to check it against environmental-claims rules in your chosen markets.
A free greenwashing checker for the EU, UK and US
Environmental marketing is under more scrutiny than ever. Regulators across the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States are cracking down on greenwashing — vague, exaggerated or unproven environmental claims that make a product look better for the planet than it really is. The rules are strict, they differ by market, and the penalties are real.
This tool helps you catch the risky wording before it ships. Paste a product description, an ad, a landing page or a packaging line, choose the markets you sell into, and the checker highlights each environmental claim a regulator would question — with a plain explanation and a stronger way to say it. It reads the words on the page only, so treat every flag as a prompt to review, not a verdict.
What counts as greenwashing?
Greenwashing rarely looks like an outright lie. Far more often it’s an everyday marketing habit — a warm word with nothing behind it, or a true fact stretched too far. These are the patterns the checker looks for:
Vague, feel-good terms
“Eco-friendly”, “green”, “sustainable” or “conscious” with nothing concrete behind them.
Carbon-neutral & net-zero claims
Neutrality claims that rest on offsetting rather than real, measured emission cuts.
Unqualified recyclability
“Recyclable” or “biodegradable” with no mention of where or how — misleading by omission.
Future pledges with no plan
“Net zero by 2030” with no public roadmap, milestones or independent verification.
Self-made labels & seals
In-house “certified” badges that imply an approval no recognised scheme ever gave.
Overstated comparisons
“Greener than” or “more sustainable” claims with no basis of comparison shown.
The green-claims rules, market by market
The same phrase can be judged very differently depending on where you sell. The checker grades each claim separately against the law in each market you choose.
European Union
The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EU) 2024/825 amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and applies from 27 September 2026. It bans a list of practices outright — including offset-based carbon-neutral claims and unbacked generic terms.
United Kingdom
The CMA’s Green Claims Code sets out six principles for honest environmental claims, backed by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 — under which the CMA can fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover.
United States
The FTC Green Guides, enforced under Section 5 of the FTC Act, set expectations for substantiation and disclosure. Many claims are allowed — but only when they’re clearly qualified and backed by evidence.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this legal advice?
- No. It’s a free educational tool that gives general information about environmental-claims rules. It doesn’t assess your evidence or your specific situation — for that, speak to a qualified adviser.
- Does my copy get sent anywhere?
- No. All the analysis happens in your browser. Your pasted text is never sent over the network, stored, or logged — so you can safely check unreleased campaigns and product copy.
- Does a clean result mean my copy is compliant?
- No. A clean result means we didn’t match common risk patterns — it isn’t a compliance sign-off, because the tool checks wording, not the evidence behind your claims.
- Why is the same phrase flagged differently by market?
- Because the law differs. “Carbon neutral”, for instance, is on the EU’s always-unfair list, treated as high-risk-if-unsubstantiated in the UK, and permitted with clear disclosure in the US.
- Who is it for?
- Marketing, e-commerce, brand and sustainability teams who write or approve product copy — anyone who needs a fast first check before an environmental claim goes live.
