Mid of August 2022 we met with the Norwegian Consumer Authority (NCA) for an open and constructive discussion focusing on the transparency program which was designed to test and improve how brands may communicate consumer-facing environmental information. We requested this meeting in response to the letter we received from the authority in June.
The meeting was positive and constructive. Both parties agreed that supplying consumers with accurate, trusted, and substantiated product-specific information should be the end goal for consumer-facing information. This will ensure that the changes needed to drive the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future are accelerated as quickly as possible.
The NCA clarified that there is no general ban on using global averages in marketing, but that claims in general and based on Higg MSI data specifically must be sufficiently documented and qualified. We will continue to collaborate with the NCA across the upcoming months to agree on a path forward for consumer-facing environmental information. This will involve working with other consumer authorities, globally, to align on a set of key principles to help drive a harmonized and clear approach to communicating environmental claims.
We look forward to continuing the conversation and engaging productively with the NCA and other consumer authorities towards aligned solutions that help to move the industry forward.