Hope everyone is have a verdant day today in the forums! Welcome back to the Listings Lounge.

Lots of Sellers have realized that the future in Selling is selling sustainably but with that comes some serious regulations. Today I want to go over Amazon’s Environmental Marketing Guidelines so as your new products sprout they are fully compliant!

Amazon generally wants to help Buyers find products that are marketed as environmentally friendly but not all marketing is created equal. It is very important that the marketing for these products is trustworthy and accurate. Misleading marketing breaks buyer trust and may be in violation of federal laws and regulations.

It is recommended that you review the FTC's Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Also known as the Green Guides) and are aware of any Federal or Local laws that might impact your product. Sellers are responsible for what they contribute to the detail page and what they sell so you will want to make sure you are a product expert on what you sell, particularly for products making “green” claims. Here are some of the Highlights from the FTC Green Guides that you will want to keep in mind:

• Avoid broad, general claims regarding a product's environmental benefits or qualities (ex., avoid "eco-friendly" or "environmentally friendly" or "green").
• All claims about a product's environmental benefits or qualities should be specific, and all qualifications (or limitations) to environmental claims must be specific, clear and prominently displayed (ex., "product is made from 20% recycled materials").
• Narrowly tailor environmental claims so as not to overstate the environmental benefits or qualities.
• Avoid making environmental claims if the environmental benefits or qualities are negligible.
• When making comparative environmental claims, the basis for the comparison must be clearly conveyed.
• Distinguish between products, packaging and services when making environmental claims (ex., packaging is 100% biodegradable).
• Avoid making compostable claims without qualification if the product cannot be composted at home safely or in a timely way.
• A general degradable or biodegradable claim should only be made if the entire product will completely break down and return to nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal (or one year for solid waste products). If the product customarily ends up in landfills, incinerators, or recycling facilities, then a general biodegradable claim should not be made.
• An environmental claim that a product or packaging is made from recycled materials should accurately reflect the portion that is made from recycled materials (ex., "made from 20% recycled materials").
• Carefully consider certifications and seals and include the specific basis or environmental benefit for the certification whenever it is used.

You will want to review all the details of the FTC Green Guides (not just the highlights) to ensure you are fully compliant with your listings. You can check out more on the Environmental Marketing Guidelines. Feel free to share your experiences and tell us what “Green” Products you use to make your business sustainable!

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Please let me know if you have any further questions on registration. If you have specific issues with your product I request you create a new thread for your issue and a member of the Forums Team will reply.

Have a great day!

-Glenn