2025
ASA v Kenvue (Listerine)
The ad'PROVEN TO BE 5X MORE EFFECTIVE THAN FLOSS'
OutcomeUpheld 2 Jul 2025
LessonQualifiers cannot fix an efficacy claim that misleads overall
Everyday consumer · Ad policy
Personal care and household ad policy on Meta and Google
Personal care and household ads are restricted on Meta and rules apply on Google. Health and Wellness: Ads for cosmetic products and procedures must target 18+ (non-permanent cosmetics exempt). No 'statements of inferiority about physical appearance'. No permanent skin whitening or bleaching. (restricted). The phrases most likely to cause trouble include "eco-friendly", "green", "biodegradable".
MetaRestricted
GoogleRules apply
Last checked5 October 2026
Meta rules Restricted
Restricted
- Health and Wellness: Ads for cosmetic products and procedures must target 18+ (non-permanent cosmetics exempt). No 'statements of inferiority about physical appearance'. No permanent skin whitening or bleaching. (restricted)
- Prohibited Commercial Practices (feedback enforcement): Covers 'Product misrepresentation' and 'Misleading or unreasonable pricing'. (account-level enforcement)
Sources: transparency.meta.com · transparency.meta.com
Google rules Rules apply
Disapproval
- Unreliable claims: Bans 'inaccurate claims or claims that entice the user with an improbable result'. Also bans claims that contradict scientific consensus on climate change. (disapproval)
- Merchant Center Misrepresentation: Offers must be 'accurate, realistic, and truthful'. (suspension risk)
Sources: support.google.com · support.google.com
Flagged words and phrases for personal care and household ads
16 phrases that often lead to rejection, limited delivery or regulator action. High means the phrase or claim is named in a policy or ruling. Medium means it's our reading of a rule.
| Phrase | Why it's risky | Rule or source | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| eco-friendly | Named generic claim banned in the EU from 27 Sep 2026, India requires qualifiers | coslaw.eu | High |
| green / ecological / environmentally friendly | Named EU generic claims | coslaw.eu | High |
| biodegradable | Named EU generic claim, UK baby-wipes ruling in 2022 | coslaw.eu | High |
| climate neutral / CO2 offset / carbon neutral | Offset-based product claims banned in the EU | climatepartner.com | High |
| kinder to our planet | Comparative basis unclear, full life cycle not shown | asa.org.uk | High |
| sustainable | Absolute claim, listed as a generic term in India | jsalaw.com | High |
| clean | India CCPA generic term that needs a qualifier | jsalaw.com | High |
| cruelty-free | India CCPA term that needs substantiation | jsalaw.com | High |
| natural / 100% natural / all natural | FTC: means 'no artificial ingredients or chemicals' | ftc.gov | High |
| chemical-free | Literally false for any product, same reasoning as the FTC natural cases | ftc.gov | Medium |
| recyclable (unqualified) | Keurig penalty for overstating municipal recyclability | canada.ca | High |
| proven 5x more effective than | Exaggerated efficacy, the qualifier was not enough | asa.org.uk | High |
| kills 99.9% of germs | Efficacy claim needs substantiation under test conditions (CAP 3.7), no specific ruling verified | asa.org.uk | Medium |
| unrecognised sustainability badge/seal | EU: labels must rest on a certification scheme or public authority | heuking.de | High |
| permanent skin whitening | Prohibited on Meta | transparency.meta.com | High |
| say goodbye to ugly skin | Statement of appearance inferiority | transparency.meta.com | High |
Risky creative patterns
- Leaf or earth imagery plus 'eco' text (EU FAQ: images alone are not generic claims, but combined with text they may be)
- Brand names containing 'eco' or 'green' (EU FAQ: in scope)
- Comparatives with no named baseline
- Small-print qualifiers that contradict the headline efficacy claim
- Recyclability claims that ignore local collection reality
Safer rewrites
Before and after examples. Swap the bracketed parts for your real details.
Before
Eco-friendly detergent
After
Bottle made from [X]% recycled plastic (excludes cap)
Before
Kinder to our planet
After
Cleans effectively at 20C, using less energy than a 40C wash
Before
100% natural shampoo
After
Made with [X]% ingredients of natural origin (ISO 16128 method)
Before
Carbon neutral soap
After
We measure product emissions and reduced them [X]% vs [base year], we also fund offsets separately
Before
Kills 99.9% of germs
After
Kills 99.9% of [named bacteria] in lab tests ([test standard], contact time [X] min)
Policy and enforcement history
FTC revised Green Guides (offsets, certifications, degradable claims)
FTC 'All Natural' personal-care settlements
CMA Green Claims Code published (6 principles)
Keurig Canada C$3m penalty (recyclability)
ASA Persil 'kinder to our planet' ruling
ASCI environmental claims guidelines take effect (released 18 Jan 2024)
India CCPA greenwashing guidelines notified
EU Commission announces it intends to withdraw the Green Claims Directive
EmpCo transposition deadline, only 7 Member States met it
EC opens infringement proceedings against 20 Member States
EmpCo applies, including to existing stock
Case studies
2022
ASA v Unilever (Persil)
The ad'kinder to our planet'
OutcomeUpheld 31 Aug 2022
LessonName the comparator and prove the full life cycle
2022
Competition Bureau v Keurig Canada
The adK-Cup pods recyclable
OutcomeC$3m penalty + C$800k donation + corrective notices
Lesson'Recyclable' means accepted by real local programmes
2022
ASA v Mum & You
The adBiodegradable baby wipes
OutcomeRuled misleading, removed from Amazon
Lesson'Biodegradable' needs conditions and a timeframe
2016
FTC v 5 personal-care firms
The ad'All natural'/'100% natural' with dimethicone, phenoxyethanol etc.
Outcome4 settlements, 1 complaint
LessonAny synthetic ingredient defeats 'all natural'
Rules by country
EU
EmpCo from 27 Sep 2026, Commission announced intent to withdraw the Green Claims Directive in Jun 2025.
UAE
Misleading-description penalties up to AED 250,000 under Cabinet Resolution 66/2023.
India
ASCI green guidelines (Feb 2024) + CCPA greenwashing guidelines (Oct 2024).
Check a personal care and household ad
Platform
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Your report appears here.Each flag shows the phrase, the rule behind it, a source and a real case where a similar ad got in trouble.
This tool is a pre-launch screen, not legal advice. Meta and Google do not publish banned-word lists, so each flag is a risk signal tied to a published rule, regulator ruling or court case. Policies change often. Data last checked 5 October 2026.