Supermarket PLUS must stop making sustainability claims: terms are too vague

Going green: it’s trendy in the supermarket world. When we see words like ‘sustainable’ or ‘climate-neutral’, we as customers get the feeling that we’re making the right choice. But such claims must be true, or at least strongly substantiated with facts. Supermarket PLUS failed to do the latter with terms such as ‘climate-neutral supermarket’, ‘conscious’ and ‘sustainable’. As a result, the supermarket must remove the inaccurate sustainability claims.

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) brought this case to light. PLUS used such sustainability claims both in its stores and in leaflets. Nice, but can consumers immediately tell exactly what the sustainability benefit is? No. The facts are missing. Claims must be accurate, clear and complete, according to the ACM. PLUS’s claims remain vague. And so the ACM is politely asking the supermarket to stop throwing these terms around.

‘The most responsible supermarket in the Netherlands’

PLUS also claims to be ‘the most responsible supermarket in the Netherlands’. This claim emerged after research by an external research agency. But what does it show? It was research into customers’ perceptions. In other words, how consumers experience the supermarket. Once again, real facts are missing, so this claim must also disappear. Have we caught PLUS misleading consumers a little after all?

Honest and clear

Edwin van Houten, Director of Consumers at the ACM, said the following on the ACM website: “Companies must be honest and clear about sustainability. This means that they may only use claims that are accurate and that they can substantiate. It is important for consumers that Plus removes its inaccurate sustainability claims.” PLUS has promised to take immediate action. Claims that are too vague or unsupported will therefore no longer be seen in stores or leaflets. The supermarket also says that it will henceforth assess its claims against the ACM’s Guidelines for Sustainability Claims.

Also read:

• Consumentenbond: this is the MOST EXPENSIVE supermarket and this is the CHEAPEST
• 5 simple tips for sustainable cooking
• From plastic cutting boards to fish: microplastics are everywhere (and your hormones aren’t happy about it)

Sources: ACM, NU.nl