4. Full life cycle

Marketers must base general environmental claims on the full life cycle of their product or business.

 In line with the principles mentioned above, when making an environmental claim, one should always consider the total life cycle of a product or service, or of their overall activities, in the statement made in the communication. If only part of the life cycle is deemed relevant, businesses need to make sure they respect the first principles and that omitting information will not likely mislead consumers in their decision process.

Many aspects of the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its life cycle could be important for consumers during the decision process. This involves its parts, how and where it is manufactured, produced, and carried out, how it is transported, its performance in use, the disposal of a product, and any waste or by-products. Finally, the overall adverse impact of the product, if any, must also be considered.