Thursday 19 October 2023

Boiler brand under scrutiny for ‘green’ claims

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated an investigation into boiler brand Worcester Bosch over concerns that its marketing of boilers as 'hydrogen-blend ready' may be misleading consumers.

The investigation aims to determine whether Worcester Bosch's advertising and labelling of its boiler products contain confusing or inaccurate claims regarding their environmental attributes.

Particular attention will be given to Worcester Bosch's 'hydrogen-blend ready' home boilers, which are priced between approximately £1,500 and £3,200.

The CMA will scrutinise the marketing assertions to establish if they lead consumers to believe these boilers are more environmentally friendly than they actually are.

George Lusty, Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, said: "Businesses need to be clear about the environmental credentials of the products they’re selling.

"This is especially important for heating products like home boilers, which are an expensive and long-term purchase. We set out our concerns earlier this year about businesses marketing boilers as ‘hydrogen-blend’.

"We’ll now be scrutinising green claims from Worcester Bosch to see if they mislead shoppers. In the meantime, we’ll continue to keep a close eye on practices in the sector."

In a statement, Worcester Bosch said: "We are in receipt of notice of investigation from the CMA and are assisting them in full with provision of information as requested."