Closing the Loop: Why the 'New' Circular Economy is a Return to Smarter Systems for Drinks
Over the past month, we've focused heavily on the implications of the DMCC Act and the critical need for transparent, substantiated environmental claims. Getting communication right is vital, but it must be underpinned by genuine action and sustainable operational models. This leads us naturally to our next topic, a theme I believe is fundamental to the future resilience and responsibility of the drinks sector: The Circular Economy.
We often talk about the circular economy as a 'new' model, a necessary shift away from the dominant linear system of take resources, make products, use them, and the lose the resources. This 'take-make-use-lose' approach, born largely from post-industrial revolution abundance and the rise of consumer convenience culture, is inherently wasteful and unsustainable. The drinks industry, reliant on agriculture, water, energy, and significant packaging volumes, is deeply embedded within it.
But calling the circular economy 'new' overlooks a crucial historical truth and ignores successful systems operating right now.
Earth Day & Beyond: Communicating Sustainability Authentically
Today, April 22nd, marks Earth Day – a timely reminder of our collective responsibility towards the planet and a fitting moment to conclude our series on the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act and its crackdown on greenwashing.
Over the past few weeks, we've journeyed through the new regulatory landscape: understanding the Act's implications (Article 1), identifying the specific claims and practices now deemed high-risk (Article 2), and outlining the crucial practical steps businesses must take to ensure compliance (Article 3). Implementing those measures – auditing claims, gathering robust evidence, ensuring transparency – is essential groundwork.
But compliance shouldn't be seen as merely a box-ticking exercise or the end of the story. Instead, think of it as the essential foundation upon which truly authentic, trustworthy, and impactful sustainability communication can be built. On this Earth Day, let's explore how businesses, having done the hard work of ensuring their claims are accurate, can now move forward and communicate their genuine environmental efforts effectively and ethically
Green Claims & The DMCC Act: Practical Steps to Ensure Compliance
In the first two articles of this series, we explored the arrival of the DMCC Act's enhanced consumer protection powers and delved into the specific types of misleading environmental claims – or greenwashing – that are now firmly under the regulatory spotlight (and carry significant risk). We've covered the what and the why; now it's time to focus on the how.
Understanding the rules and the potential pitfalls is essential, but it’s proactive steps and robust processes that will truly protect your business and build authentic citizen trust. Complacency is not an option, as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has the power to act decisively against non-compliant claims.
So, what practical measures should your business be taking right now to ensure your environmental claims are accurate, substantiated, and compliant with the strengthened regulations?
Digging Deeper: Which Green Claims Are Now High-Risk Under the DMCC Act?
In my previous post, I introduced the significant changes brought by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act, particularly the new powers granted to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to crack down on greenwashing, which came into force last week. I discussed why this matters – the erosion of citizen trust and the unfair disadvantage faced by genuinely sustainable businesses when vague or misleading environmental claims run rampant.
Now, it’s time to delve into the specifics. What kinds of claims and marketing practices are likely to attract the CMA’s attention under this enhanced regulatory framework? While the DMCC Act provides the overarching legal power to tackle 'unfair commercial practices' (which includes misleading environmental claims), the CMA’s existing Green Claims Code (published in 2021) gives us the clearest indication of the principles they apply and the practices they deem problematic. The new Act essentially gives the CMA sharper teeth to enforce these principles.
The Greenwashing Crackdown is Here: Understanding the DMCC Act's New Consumer Powers
The DMCC Act's new consumer laws target greenwashing from this week.
Understand the crackdown, the CMA's enhanced powers, and how to ensure your environmental claims are accurate and avoid fines. Essential insights for UK businesses on compliant, sustainable marketing under the new regulations.
How Climate is Shifting the Landscape of Alcohol Commodities
Here at Avallen Solutions, we're all about creating a world where businesses thrive in harmony with our planet. That's why we've taken a deep dive into a topic that's crucial for the drinks industry and, let's face it, for all of us who enjoy a good tipple: climate change.
Our new report, "Climate Change and Alcohol Commodities: A Decade of Impact (2014-2024)" examines how the escalating climate crisis is affecting the key agricultural commodities that form the foundation of our favourite beverages. We're not just talking about a few warm days here and there; we're looking at how rising global temperatures and extreme weather events are shaking up the very supply chains that bring us everything from beer to brandy.
The Nature Footprint of Alcohol: Biodiversity Loss and the Path to Resilient Drinks Businesses
When we talk about sustainability in drinks, discussions often focus on carbon emissions, and rightfully so as it’s the most important challenge we must tackle. But climate change isn’t the only crisis the planet faces. Biodiversity loss is accelerating at an alarming rate, with species extinction now occurring up to 1,000 times faster than the natural background rate due to human activity.
Nature is not just a backdrop or somewhere we go at the weekend, it is the foundation on which everything we value is built. From the air we breathe to the water we drink, from the food on our plates to the raw materials that fuel our economies, nature sustains us in ways we often take for granted.
Betterment Brands
Diageo have just release their annual “Distilled” report, looking at what are the big macro socialising and drinking trends for 2025. As the world’s biggest spirits producer with the biggest resources its an important document for the rest of the industry of where brands should direct their focus.