"The Competition and Markets Authority will be scrutinising environmental claims made by the consumer goods group Unilever," a statement said amid concerns that companies overstate how 'green' they are, known as 'greenwashing'.
The CMA added that its move forms part of the watchdog's "wider investigation into greenwashing and follows concerns around how Unilever is marketing certain products, within some brands, to customers as environmentally friendly".
Unilever, which manufactures a significant number of products including Magnum ice cream, Cif surface cleaner and Dove soap, said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the news.
The British multinational added in a statement that it "is committed to making responsible claims about the benefits of our products on our packs and to these being transparent and clear".
CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said the watchdog would "be drilling down into these claims to see if they measure up.
"If we find they're greenwashing, we'll take action to make sure shoppers are protected."
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