A COMPETITION watchdog is investigating whether city firm Worcester Bosch misled shoppers with confusing or inaccurate green claims.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the investigation will focus on whether marketing claims for the boiler brand’s “hydrogen-blend ready” home boilers - which cost between £1,500 and £3,200 - may mislead consumers into thinking they are more environmentally friendly than they are.
Worcester Bosch said it is cooperating with the investigation.
The CMA's investigation will look at the marketing claims of the Cotswold Way-based firm that the boilers could run on a blend of 20 per cent hydrogen and natural gas, giving the impression that this was a special feature.
This is despite all boilers in the UK being legally required to operate this way since the mid-1990s, the watchdog said.
The CMA will also look at information given by Worcester Bosch about the use of hydrogen for home heating in the UK, which is not currently available and its introduction potentially years away and dependent on future government decisions.
Descriptions and information about the environmental benefits of “hydrogen-blend ready” boilers may also falsely suggest that these boilers would reduce a household’s carbon footprint, the watchdog adds.
The investigation into Worcester Bosch is part of wider work by the CMA into consumer protection in the green heating and insulation sector.
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The watchdog published a report earlier this year which highlighted concerns that a number of businesses were making potentially misleading claims online about hydrogen use in boilers and put the sector on notice for further action.
It has also written to 12 other businesses that sell “hydrogen-blend” boilers after reviewing their marketing, to warn them that they could be breaching consumer protection law and to remind them of their legal obligations.
George Lusty, senior director for consumer protection at the CMA, said: “Businesses need to be clear about the environmental credentials of the products they’re selling.
"This is especially important for heating products like home boilers, which are an expensive and long-term purchase.
“We set out our concerns earlier this year about businesses marketing boilers as ‘hydrogen-blend’. We’ll now be scrutinising green claims from Worcester Bosch to see if they mislead shoppers.
“In the meantime, we’ll continue to keep a close eye on practices in the sector.”
A Worcester Bosch spokesperson said: “We are in receipt of notice of investigation from the CMA and are assisting them in full with provision of information as requested.”
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