§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as the competent body responsible for implementing the European Ecolabelling Award Scheme in the United Kingdom, has taken to promote awareness of the scheme among business and consumers. [HL3057]
§ Lord WhittyWe consult widely with business and other interested organisations in the UK as the ecolabelling criteria for different product groups are being developed to ensure they are aware of new proposals and have opportunities to comment. Part of the department's website gives full background to the scheme and explains the advantages of participating (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ecolabel/index.htm). We have published a promotional leaflet for business and consumers, calledPick the Flower, and last year we produced the first in a series of point-of-sale leaflets for consumers about specific product types. Plans are under way to issue a newsletter for business and consumers about greener products in order to raise general awareness of good practice on environmental labelling and to encourage participation in authoritative schemes like the EU Ecolabel.