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The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association has launched a campaign designed to spread the word about the importance of regulations when buying cleaning and hygiene chemicals.
Compliance with formal UK Government, European Union and industry-standard regulations is essential if buyers are to be certain product claims are legitimate and proven. Adherence to regulations guarantee safety. They underpin transparency and ensure consistency. They support buyers’ informed decision making by providing a framework for comparison, so a buyer really knows if they are getting the product or solution they need. They also provide accountability, giving buyers a route to recourse if needed. In short, they underwrite an ethical approach.
Buyers and end users can also turn to regulations to be certain they are not misled by environmental claims in the rush toward sustainable solutions.
Lorcan Mekitarian, Chair of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association, said: “Buyers and end users need to be able to trust the product and sales and marketing claims. They need to be certain of the balance between efficacy and sustainability and they need to make sure they are using the right product for the job in hand. They are not chemists, however, so may be misled by seductive sales and marketing messaging.
“Our advice is to talk to your manufacturer and ask for evidence to support their claims. This will come in the form of their technical data sheets, third party verifications and certifications and, importantly, proof of regulatory compliance.”
Gobble-de-gook or undefined phrases to be wary of include: ‘non-renewable chemicals’, ‘chemical-free’, ‘natural’, ‘five times filtered water’, and ‘non-toxic’. ‘Biodegradable’ is also a confusing term. As applied to cleaning products, it is defined in current legislation (Detergent Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 and corresponding UK post Brexit legislation). Something claiming to be ‘organic’ should be certified by, for example, the Soil Association. ‘Net-zero’ claims should be based on the international net-zero standard (https://sciencebasedtargets.org/net-zero) or another reliable third party verified certification.
Every member of the CHSA has signed our rigorous Code of Practice, which demands our members trade ethically. Amongst other stipulations, it requires members to:
- Conduct business dealings in an open, honest, fair and proper manner and in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations of the UK and EU.
- Ensure all public statements made by and on behalf of the Member are decent, honest and truthful.
- Ensure no false or exaggerated claims are made verbally, in literature, electronically or in any other way.
- Hold and provide evidence on request for product and service claims, particularly with reference to legislation, certifications and accreditations.
The CHSA Code of Practice also includes the Competition & Market’s Authority’s Green Claims Code. Its principles are summarised as:
- Claims must be truthful and accurate.
- Claims must be clear and unambiguous.
- Claims must not omit or hide important relevant information.
- Comparisons must be fair and meaningful.
- Claims must consider the full life cycle of the product or service.
- Claims must be substantiated.
Finally, every member of the CHSA’s Accreditation Scheme for manufacturers of cleaning chemicals has signed the CHSA’s own ethical marketing code.
