Enhancing Trust in Environmental Advertising... Government to Provide Training and Guidelines for Online Retailers

The government is taking action to enhance the credibility of environmental advertising in the online retail market.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Fair Trade Commission announced on April 28 that they will hold an “Environmental Labeling and Advertising Training” for online retailers and third-party sellers at the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute’s main auditorium in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, on April 29. The Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute and the Korea Online Shopping Association will be responsible for administering the training.

Recently, as environmentally friendly consumption has become more widespread, there has been a rapid increase in labeling and advertising that highlights the environmental attributes of products and services. In particular, on online platforms where various sellers participate, the accuracy and consistency of environmental information are cited as key factors that directly impact consumer trust.

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Environmental labeling and advertising are managed separately by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Fair Trade Commission, according to the “Environmental Technology and Industry Support Act” and the “Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising.” However, there have been ongoing calls onsite for more integrated and clearer guidance regarding the interpretation of these systems and the criteria for investigations.

This training has been organized in response to such demands. The curriculum is practice-oriented, covering trends and key issues related to online intermediary sales, an introduction to the environmental labeling and advertising system, major review cases under the Fair Labeling and Advertising Act, and correct labeling and advertising methods. To encourage participation from third-party sellers nationwide, both in-person training and online streaming will be provided.

Following the training, the two agencies plan to jointly prepare and distribute an “Environmental Labeling and Advertising Guideline” by the end of the year. The guideline will provide integrated instructions on the standards managed by both agencies, to help companies better understand and comply with regulations, reduce unfair environmental advertising, and ultimately strengthen consumer protection and market trust.

Jung Sunhwa, Director of the Green Transition Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated, “We hope companies will accurately understand and utilize the environmental labeling and advertising system,” adding, “Through cooperation between the two agencies, we will enhance the consistency and effectiveness of management.” Lim Boreum, Director of the Consumer Policy Bureau at the Fair Trade Commission, said, “We will provide support so that companies do not face difficulties in environmental management due to legal and regulatory uncertainties,” and emphasized, “We will also reinforce improvements and monitoring of the environmental labeling and advertising system.”

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