CCS issues guide to assist businesses in ensuring quality-related claims are accurate and not misleading

14 October 2025

On 8 October 2025, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) published a guide to help businesses avoid engaging in unfair trade practices as defined under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act 2003 (“CPFTA”) when making claims on the qualities, uses, or benefits associated with their products or business. Misleading or false claims by a business can be an unfair trade practice under the CPFTA that may lead to CCS enforcement action.

The Guide on Quality-Related Claims (“Guide”) was developed in consultation with industry suppliers and business associations following concerns raised over potential greenwashing and recent enforcement actions CCS took against businesses found to have made misleading claims.

This article provides a summary of the key points set out in the Guide.

Scope

When businesses market their goods and services, it is common for claims on the qualities, uses, and benefits of their products, or even their business in general, to be made. The Guide refers to such claims as “Quality-related Claims” (“Claims”). These Claims can be:

  • made in a variety of ways, including words, images, symbols, brand names, certifications, certification stamps, or logos;
  • included in all forms of marketing material to consumers, in various forms of media (including traditional print media, online, and social media); and
  • found on goods themselves or any accompanying packaging.

The overall impression that a reasonable consumer will form from the information presented by the supplier in making any Claim needs to be considered.

The Guide applies to any business (including its employee or agent) such as manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. Claims made should be genuine and supported by valid and credible evidence. Businesses should also strive to provide clear, accurate, and sufficient information in their Claims to enable consumers to make informed decisions.

Principles

The Guide sets out five key principles that businesses should adhere to when making product claims. It provides examples and case studies to help businesses apply these principles in specific contexts. A summary of the principles is set out in the table below.

Principle

Details

Claims should be true and accurate
  • Verify accuracy of claims before communicating to consumers
  • Ensure claims do not mislead consumers about why they need the product
  • Periodically review information to keep it up-to-date

Claims should be clear and easily understood
  • Consider how an average consumer may interpret the claim
  • Use plain language and avoid technical jargon
  • Avoid using vague or overly broad statements or imagery that may mislead consumers

Claims should be meaningful
  • Focus on material product attributes rather than insignificant, standard, or mandatory product features
  • Any comparisons with other products should be fair and substantiated

Claims should be accompanied by material information
  • Provide sufficient substantiation for any claim made
  • Present supporting information in an accessible manner as early as possible
  • Clearly state any assumptions, limits, or conditions underlying the claim

Claims should be supportable by evidence
  • Substantiate claims reasonably with credible evidence
  • Back claims with evidence that is valid, specific, and up-to-date
  • Any claimed ambitions or goals should be made with the intention to achieve them and are reasonably achievable


The Guide is not a substitute for the CPFTA and does not set a limit on CCS’s investigations and enforcement actions. In determining whether a business has engaged in an unfair trade practice under the CPFTA, the facts and circumstances of each case and the reasonableness of the business’s actions will be considered. In addition to the Guide, businesses may also refer to the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice which applies to all commercial advertisements in Singapore and provides that businesses must clearly explain, adequately substantiate, and qualify any claim made in advertisements.

Reference materials

The following materials are available on the CCS website www.ccs.gov.sg:

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