During an online morning session on “new horizons in the fight against greenwashing,” the DGCCRF provided an update on its inspections for 2023 and 2024. The results show that more than 15% of the professionals inspected had committed serious violations.
“The fight against greenwashing is essential to support the transformation of consumption patterns and ensure consumer confidence in the ecological transition,” the DGCCRF states in its press release.
In 2023 and 2024, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) conducted investigations at more than 3,000 establishments (more than 1,300 in 2023 and more than 1,800 in 2024) to monitor environmental claims used to promote products and services.
The supervisory authority targeted both sectors that frequently use these claims (textiles, furniture, cosmetics) and a broader market coverage (hotels, home cleaning services, food products, etc.).
The purpose of these checks was to ensure that these claims do not mislead consumers to the detriment of competitors who communicate fairly about their proven environmental efforts.
The results
More than 15% of the professionals inspected were found to have committed serious breaches, which were punished with corrective and punitive measures. The most serious offenses resulted in more than 430 compliance orders and more than 70 administrative fines and criminal charges, mainly for deceptive commercial practices or the presence of prohibited statements. Investigators also issued more than 500 warnings to remind professionals of their obligations and enable them to better …
