Watchdog to host green ad seminar

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revealed it is to host a meeting between advertising experts, businesses and environmental groups to address the growing problem of " greenwash".

The seminar, scheduled for June, will aim to get a "range of views" from advertising professionals, business leaders and green groups as the ASA seeks to develop clearer guidelines for how firms should promote their green credentials.

A spokeswoman for the ASA said that the watchdog was still working on the exact agenda for the event, but would be notifying industry figures shortly. " This is a huge issue and we want to get people together who have a range of views and look seriously at what is working and what isn't" she added.

The news comes in the same week that the ASA is to publish its annual review, showing that the number of complaints it received over "greenwash" more than doubled during 2007.

The report, which is due to be released on Wednesday, will show that it received over 300 complaints regarding exaggerated environmental adverts last year, up from fewer than 150 in 2006.

Speaking to The Telegraph, ASA chairman Lord Smith of Finsbury said that the watchdog had come across growing numbers of green adverts "where claims are exaggerated or misleading or, in some cases, severely exaggerated".

He advised firms to think carefully before over stating their green credentials in adverts. "Any misleading in advertising is bad for the consumer and not particularly helpful for the company because they will be found out," he said Lord Smith.

The ASA spokeswoman said that firms keen to promote their green credentials needed to be able to provide documentary evidence to back up any claim made in an advert and also advised them to submit any print adverts to the Committee of Advertising Practice, which offers a free copy-checking service, before publication.