,On 3 December 2025, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld three rulings against fashion brands for misleading environmental claims. Although these cases targeted the apparel industry, the principles serve as a critical warning for the cosmetics sector, where similar terminology is frequently employed. The core issue centered on the term "sustainable." According to the CAP Code, environmental claims must be transparent, and absolute terms require rigorous substantiation. Crucially, such claims must account for a product's entire life cycle unless explicitly stated otherwise. The ASA found that consumers likely interpreted "sustainable" to mean the products had a neutral or positive environmental impact. However, the brands failed to provide evidence covering the full product life cycle or clarify the claim's specific meaning, leading the ASA to deem the ads misleading. Consequently, the ads were banned. The brands must now ensure future claims are clearly defined and backed by high-level evidence. The CTPA advises its members to follow the Green Claims Code and official guidance to avoid similar regulatory action.
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