What to Expect From the FTC's Updated Green Guides

The FTC Is Updating Guidance on Environmental Claims. Here's What That Means 

The agency, tasked with protecting consumers, last updated the Green Guides in 2012

The last time the U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued guidance on environmental claims, Barack Obama was campaigning for his second term in office, that one Gotye song was at the top of the charts and Hurricane Sandy had yet to crash into communities from the Caribbean to Canada.

Needless to say, a lot has changed since 2012—especially when it comes to the climate, and how brands are talking about their environmental impacts.

While the FTC was initially slated to issue new guidance last year, the agency extended its period for public comment through this spring. It’s likely that the new guides won’t be released for at least several months, experts told Adweek.

Headshot of Kathryn Lundstrom

Kathryn Lundstrom

Kathryn Lundstrom is Adweek's sustainability editor.