‘Greenwashing’ to be tackled in retail energy sector as government reviews tariffs

The government has announced plans to tackle ‘greenwashing’ by energy companies.

A review will launch today to explore the extent of ‘greenwashing’ in the retail energy sector, assessing whether the current system is suitably transparent and whether the rules around what can be called a ‘green’ tariff remain fit for purpose.

The news comes as nine million British households are now on green tariffs, with over half of all new electricity tariffs launched now marketed as ‘100 per cent renewable’ or ‘green’.

Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, commented: “Millions of UK households are choosing to make the green switch and more and more of our energy comes from renewables.

“But I want people to know that when they sign up to a green tariff, they are investing in companies that make a conscious choice to invest in renewable energy.

“Part of that is ensuring companies are being as transparent as possible on where their power comes from. That way, every family in Britain can rest assured their choices are helping to contribute to our world-leading target of eliminating our contribution to climate change by 2050.”