Green claims · 2026
A free greenwashing checker for drinks brands.
Last updated
The short answer
alkatera’s Greenwash Guardian has a free scan. Give it your website address and it reads your whole site, up to 30 pages, against the UK Green Claims Code and the EU’s new green claims rules, then tells you which environmental claims would not stand up and which page each one is on. It takes about two minutes, and each email address gets one free scan. The official checklists are free too: the CMA’s Green Claims Code checklist, and the ASA and CAP guidance on environmental claims. It matters because, since April 2025, the CMA can fine a business up to 10% of its global turnover for misleading consumers.
What the free scan checks.
- Every environmental claim on every page it reads, such as “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, “carbon neutral” or “plastic free”. It finds your pages from your sitemap and your menus, and reads up to 30 of them.
- Each claim against the UK Green Claims Code and the EU’s new green claims rules.
- A risk level for each claim (high, medium or low), the rule it may break, and a suggested rewrite.
- Supporting evidence on your other pages, so a claim backed up one click away is not marked as unsupported.
- Which page each claim is on, so you know where to fix it.
The free scan reads your website, up to 30 pages. On a bigger site it reads the pages most likely to make a claim first, such as your home page and your sustainability pages, and each product or blog post last. Greenwash Guardian in full is part of every alkatera plan and checks your website, documents and social posts, so the claims you make can be backed by the footprints you measure in the same place.
Free greenwashing checks you can use today.
| Check | From | Cost | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwash Guardian free scan | alkatera | Free, one scan per email address | Reads your whole website, up to 30 pages, against UK and EU green-claims rules and flags each risky claim |
| Green Claims Code checklist | Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) | Free | A checklist of six principles your claims must meet |
| Environmental claims guidance | Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and CAP | Free | Rules and rulings for environmental claims in ads |
| Copy Advice | CAP | Free | Advice on a non-broadcast ad before it runs |
A checker is not legal advice. For a high-risk claim, take advice before you publish.
Drinks claims that often fail.
- Broad words with no proof, such as “sustainable gin”, “eco-friendly beer” or “planet-friendly wine”. The EU rules now ban general environmental claims a brand cannot show recognised excellent performance for.
- “Carbon neutral” or “climate positive” resting on offsets. The EU rules ban claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact because of offsetting.
- Packaging claims that only cover part of the pack, such as “plastic free” with a plastic-lined cap, or “recyclable” where few people can recycle it.
- A footprint figure with no method or date behind it.
- Comparisons, such as “lower carbon than other spirits”, without a like-for-like study.
The fix is usually evidence, not silence: a product footprint you can point to, said in plain words, with its scope and date. See what a drinks LCA costs, and how long it takes.
What the rules say.
- UK: the CMA’s Green Claims Code (2021) says claims must be truthful, clear, not leave out important information, compare fairly, consider the full life cycle, and be backed by evidence.
- UK: under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, the CMA can enforce consumer law itself from 6 April 2025, with fines of up to 10% of global turnover.
- EU: Directive (EU) 2024/825, on empowering consumers for the green transition, applies from 27 September 2026 and bans general environmental claims without proof and neutrality claims based on offsets.
Frequently asked questions.
Is there a free greenwashing checker for marketing claims?
Yes. alkatera’s Greenwash Guardian has a free scan that reads your whole website, up to 30 pages, against the UK Green Claims Code and the EU’s new green claims rules, and tells you which environmental claims would not stand up. The CMA’s Green Claims Code checklist and the ASA and CAP guidance are free to use too.
What does the alkatera free greenwashing scan check?
It reads your whole website, up to 30 pages, finds the environmental claims on each page, checks each against UK and EU green-claims rules, and gives each a risk level, the rule it may break, the page it is on and a suggested rewrite. It takes about two minutes, and each email address gets one free scan.
What can the CMA fine a business for greenwashing?
Since 6 April 2025, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, the CMA can enforce consumer law directly and fine a business up to 10% of its global turnover for misleading consumers, including with green claims.
Can a drinks brand call its product carbon neutral?
Not on the strength of offsets in the EU. Directive (EU) 2024/825 bans claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact because of offsetting, from 27 September 2026. In the UK, any such claim must meet the Green Claims Code and be backed by evidence.
Does a greenwashing checker replace legal advice?
No. A checker finds claims that look risky and suggests safer wording. For a high-risk claim, or before a campaign, take legal advice or use the free CAP Copy Advice service.
What is alkatera's Greenwash Guardian?
Greenwash Guardian is a feature in every alkatera plan that checks a drinks brand's website, documents and social posts for greenwashing risk, so its environmental claims can be backed by evidence.
Sources.
Checked on 8 November 2026.
Check your whole site, free.
About two minutes. We read every page we can find, up to 30, the way a regulator would, against UK and EU rules, and tell you which claims would not stand up.
Run the free scan