Utilities, energy and environment

Helpful information on the advertising rules for activities, products or services relating to the environment, energy issues or home utilities.

Being seen to be ‘green’ can form an important part of a company’s corporate social responsibility agenda. But the rise in the number of advertisers promoting the environmental credentials of various different products and services has also prompted complaints about whether some ads make exaggerated or misleading claims.

This is why our advertising rules have a whole section dedicated to environmental claims which requires ads for activities, products or services relating to the environment, energy issues or home utilities to explain the basis of, and qualify their environmental claims in ads. Advertisers must also hold robust evidence for any comparisons they are making, acknowledge whether a split in informed expert opinion exists, and make clear any limits to the life cycle of a product.

Claims such as “environmentally friendly” should not be used without qualification unless advertisers can provide convincing evidence that their product will cause no environmental damage, taking into account the full life cycle of the product from manufacture to disposal. Less absolute claims, such as “friendlier”, “greener” or “kinder” are generally less risky, but will still need to be backed by evidence.

Because of the difficulty of providing proof for a specific claim, some advertisers have chosen instead to make a green statement of intent in their advertising. For example, they might claim to be “against environmental damage” or “working towards” or “aiming for” a greener future. The context in which these claims appear is key to judging whether they are likely to mislead. If such claims are likely to be seen as a mission statement or belief, the chances are they won't fall foul of the rules.

As well as proving their claims, advertisers need to be careful not to assume a level of consumer understanding greater than is reasonable, or likely in their ads. This is especially relevant for ads to do with the environment and energy issues, which may highlight technical subjects such as renewable sources and carbon offsetting, for example.

Advertisers should also take into account the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ‘Green Claims Code’ when preparing their ads for activities, products or services relating to the environment, energy issues or home utilities.

+ Read more - Show less

Latest rulings

British Gas Services Ltd t/a British Gas
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 04 March 2026
A paid-for Meta ad for British Gas, which promoted switching to a heat pump, didn’t have enough evidence to demonstrate that ‘up to’ saving claims could be achieved by a significant proportion of people and also failed to include all material information.
Centrica Hive Ltd t/a Hive
- Upheld
- National newspaper (paid ad)
- 04 March 2026
A national press ad for Hive promoting solar panels didn’t have enough evidence to demonstrate that ‘up to’ saving claims could be achieved by a significant proportion of people and also failed to include all material information.
WashWater UK Ltd
- Upheld
- Brochure
- 25 February 2026
A brochure for a water conditioning and purifying system manufacturer misleadingly implied their water treatment systems could target and remove existing limescale, reduce hot water bills and help improve certain skin conditions.
Virgin Media Ltd
- Upheld in part
- Television
- 18 February 2026
A TV ad for Virgin Media didn’t provide sufficient information to enable people to verify comparisons with identifiable competitors. Another issue was investigated but it didn’t break the rules.

View all rulings

Utilities, energy and environment

Helpful information on the advertising rules for activities, products or services relating to the environment, energy issues or home utilities.

Latest news

Eye-catching Effects and Epilepsy

VAT’s the Way to Do It: Get your pricing ads right

The great outdoors: keeping posters in line with the Code - come rain or shine

Environmental claims by travel agents: what our latest sweep found

Watch out for misleading mini-heater ads, warns ASA

Energy labelling rules removed from CAP and BCAP Codes

Latest rulings

British Gas Services Ltd t/a British Gas

Centrica Hive Ltd t/a Hive

WashWater UK Ltd

Virgin Media Ltd

Help getting it right

Popular advice

Environmental claims: General “Green” claims

Misleading environmental claims and social responsibility in advertising

Environmental claims: General

Relevant codes

11 Environmental claims

09 Environmental claims