Norway fences the Higg Index. On May 30, the organization Forbrukertilsynet, the Norwegian consumer authority, raised concerns that the use of the index data by some fashion brands was or was not in breach of Norwegian marketing law. Specifically, the organization has focused on the fashion company Norrøna y H&M.
The controversy dates back to February, when Forbrukertilsynet sent a letter to Norrøna asking him to submit documentation on the Higg Index data he referenced in his marketing campaign.
Ultimately, the organization concluded in mid-June that the Norwegian fashion company’s use of Higg Index data was in breach of the law, making “false and misleading” claims by marketing clothing as environmentally friendly.
“Norrøna has used figures from the Higg Index to communicate the environmental benefits of organic cotton t-shirts,” notes Forbrukertilsynet.
Specific, Forbrukertilsynet has explained that Norrøna “has used figures from the Higg Index to communicate the environmental benefits of organic cotton t-shirts”. According to the association, using this marketing campaign gives the impression that “the shirt is produced with organic cotton” and “has a significantly lower environmental impact”.
The main reason Forbrukertilsynet argues is that the Higg Index does not “document the environmental properties of a specific product, but rather measures the average environmental impact of a particular material, which does not necessarily apply to the exact product being marketed under the image of the Higg Index. that provides environmental benefits.
Therefore, Forbrukertilsynet concluded last week that the use of Higg Index data in marketing campaigns is “misleading in this case and, therefore, illegal”. The association has asked Norrøna Please remove this campaign.
The Norwegian agency has urged H&M to “become familiar with the assessments we have made of Norrøna”
Also, the controversy has also affected H&M, to whom the Norwegian agency has also sent a letter urging him to “familiarize himself with the assessments we have made of Norrøna”. Forbrukertilsynet has set a deadline of September 1 for the Swedish company to “organize its marketing in accordance with the regulations.”
Although Forbrukertilsynet does not position itself against the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which develops the Higg Index, the association has also sent him a letter asking him to “assume responsibility that his clients do not use the Higg Index misleadingly in the marketing of their products.
The SAC promoted the Higg Index in 2017 with the aim of establishing homogeneous parameters to measure sustainable processes. The index has five tools that assess the social and environmental performance of the value chain, the environmental impact of products. The tool is also promoted by Walmart and Patagonia.
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