# How To Require And Verify Supplier Plastic Claims

> Verify supplier plastic claims with confidence. The Wellness Quality Institute helps you demand evidence, audit certificates, and enforce contracts.

**Published:** 2026-08-13 | **Updated:** 2026-10-31 | **Author:** renatoloureiro
**URL:** https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers
**Type:** post

**Categories:** Certification

![How To Require And Verify Supplier Plastic Claims](https://wellnessquality.sites.aigrowthagent.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2026/08/1786527082372-627cde0a53af-1024x572.webp)

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## Content

*Written by: Scott Steveson, Specialist, Wellness Quality Institute | Last updated: October 14, 2026*

## Key Takeaways

- Supplier plastic claims need independent verification against published criteria before a buyer can defend them under FTC Green Guides and ISO 14021 standards.
- Strong verification rests on a clear claim scope, documented evidence, batch-level traceability, and contracts that include right-to-audit and indemnification.
- Every certificate must be checked against public registries and matched to the correct facility, material grade, shipment, and time period.
- Lab reports that say “none detected” only show absence above the instrument’s detection floor, so they cannot support absolute plastic-free claims.
- The Wellness Quality Institute Plastic-Free Pathway Verification program aligns with the strictest public microplastics testing frameworks so brands can back up supplier claims.

[Ensure your plastic claims are defensible. Explore Plastic-Free Pathway Verification from the Wellness Quality Institute.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Who This Guide Is For And Why It Matters

This guide supports procurement leads, supplier compliance managers, sustainability directors, and legal teams at US consumer brands who already collect supplier sustainability declarations and need a repeatable process to evaluate them.

A few terms used throughout, in plain language:

- **Verification** is an independent review of evidence against defined criteria. It differs from lab testing, which produces the raw data.
- **Validation** confirms that a method or process actually does what it claims to do.
- **Scope** describes the specific products, facilities, materials, and time periods a certificate or verification truly covers.
- **Detection Floor** is the smallest particle size or lowest concentration a method can reliably find. Anything smaller remains invisible to that method.
- **Chain Of Custody** is the documented trail that shows how a material moved from source to finished product.
- **Accreditation** is formal recognition that a laboratory meets competence standards, such as ISO/IEC 17025.
- **Mass Balance** is a chain-of-custody model where certified and non-certified materials may be mixed, with certified quantities tracked through bookkeeping instead of physical separation.
- **Physical Segregation** is a chain-of-custody model where certified material stays physically separate from non-certified material throughout the supply chain.
- **Substantiation** is the documented evidence that backs up a specific claim.

The main US reference points for environmental marketing claims are the [FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260) and [ISO 14021](https://www.iso.org/standard/34498.html). Neither document is a statute. Conduct that conflicts with the Green Guides can still be challenged as deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act.

California’s recycled-content and recyclability rules, including [California SB 343, which took effect October 4, 2026](https://nutritionaloutlook.com/view/sb-343-what-food-and-beverage-brands-need-to-know-about-recyclability-claims-before-october-2026), now create visible pressure on brands making plastic-related claims, and the same principles apply nationally. Laboratory capability adds another limit. Only a small number of laboratories can truly test for microplastics, and capability varies between laboratories and even between instruments and methods inside the same lab.

![Scientists in white coats working with samples and microscopes in a laboratory.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829434095-0fc8fbcf29fa.webp)**Only a small number of laboratories can genuinely test for microplastics, and capability varies by instrument and method. WQI reviews a company's existing third-party laboratory data against a defined standard — it does not run the tests itself.**

[Learn About ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation](https://www.iso.org/ISO-IEC-17025-testing-and-calibration-laboratories.html)

## How To Require Verified Plastic Claims From Suppliers

The following seven steps create a repeatable framework that treats supplier plastic claim verification as a purchasing condition. They move from defining acceptable claims to enforcing remedies when claims fail, so each step builds on the last.

1. **Define Acceptable Claims Before You Ask For Evidence.** Put in writing which claim types your brand will accept, such as recycled content at specific percentages, recyclable, compostable, plastic-reduced, or plastic-free pathway verified. Specify whether recycled content must be post-consumer, pre-consumer, or both. Under 16 CFR § 260.4, unqualified general environmental-benefit claims such as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” are risky because consumers may read them as broad promises the marketer cannot substantiate. Clear definitions reduce risk because suppliers can only substantiate claims that your brand has defined in advance.
2. **Specify The Evidence Required For Each Claim Type.** Map each accepted claim type to a minimum evidence package. For recycled content, state whether you require a Scope Certificate plus a shipment-specific Transaction Certificate, which chain-of-custody model is acceptable, and whether post-consumer content must be documented separately. For recyclability, require real-world collection access data instead of only technical recyclability. For compostability, require documentation that separates home composting from industrial composting conditions. Capture this mapping in a supplier evidence matrix and attach it to your supplier code of conduct.
3. **Validate Certificate Scope Against The Actual Purchase Order.** Scope mismatches cause many verification failures. A valid certificate with the wrong scope does not substantiate the claim. For each certificate, first check the certificate number against the issuing body’s public registry. Then confirm that the covered facility matches the facility that produced your order. Next, verify that the material grade and polymer type match what you purchased. Also confirm that the certificate has not expired. Finally, ensure the claim being made falls inside the certified scope. A supplier with a Scope Certificate but no matching Transaction Certificate cannot make a claim on that delivery, and a buyer who accepts “we are GRS certified” without the Transaction Certificate accepts a statement instead of evidence.
4. **Put Substantiation Timelines, Right-To-Audit, Indemnification, And Rejection Rights In The Contract.** A requirement without a remedy is merely a request. Contract language should require suppliers to deliver substantiation documentation before a claim goes live and give the buyer the right to audit supplier records and upstream chain-of-custody documentation. It should also require the supplier to indemnify the buyer for losses that arise from inaccurate or misleading claim evidence and give the buyer the right to reject nonconforming goods without penalty. [Contracts should use direct terms like “shall” and “must” with named reporting deadlines, because those terms carry legal force.](https://councilfire.org/guides/key-esg-clauses-vendor-agreements)
5. **Require Batch-Level Traceability, Not Just An Annual Certificate.** An annual certificate covers systems and capability during the audit period. It does not prove that a particular shipment contains certified material. Require a shipment-specific Transaction Certificate or equivalent batch documentation for every order. Match it to the purchase order number, quantity, and recycled-content percentage. [Only an accredited certification body, not the supplier, can issue a Transaction Certificate, so a document on supplier letterhead is a warning sign.](https://jfpackfilm.com/articles/how-to-verify-shrink-film-certifications)
6. **Review The Underlying Method And Dataset, Not Just The Certificate.** A certificate confirms that a process was audited. It does not show whether the analytical method fit the product, whether the detection floor supports the claim, or whether contamination controls were used. For plastic and microplastic claims, require the laboratory’s method documentation alongside the results. Confirm the tested particle-size range, polymer panel, and reporting limits. A “none detected” result means none found above that instrument’s detection floor. Smaller particles may still be present.
7. **Define What Happens When A Claim Fails.** Spell out in the contract what counts as a failed claim, what the supplier must do when that happens, and what remedies the buyer keeps. Typical terms include a corrective action plan within a set period, re-testing at the supplier’s expense, defined notification requirements, and rights to reject, return, or cancel affected orders while preserving indemnification. [ESG-related consumer class actions have roughly doubled in two years, rising from 16% of class actions in 2024 to about 30% by September 2025.](https://klgates.com/Closing-the-Gaps-Managing-Operational-Risk-in-the-Consumer-Products-Industry-4-14-2026) A contract that defines failure and remedy in advance is materially stronger than one that leaves these points open.

[Put these steps into practice. Get expert guidance on supplier verification from the Wellness Quality Institute.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

For more operational detail on building these requirements into vendor relationships, see [How To Set Supplier Verification For Plastic Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claims-supplier-verification-requirements/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) and the [Supplier Verification Checklist For Plastic Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/supplier-verification-requirements-plastic-claims/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent).

## What Evidence To Require For Recycled-Content Claims (And Other Plastic Claims)

Now that you have a framework for requiring verified claims, the next step is understanding what evidence to collect for recycled-content and related plastic claims. The table below compares mass balance and physical segregation, the two chain-of-custody models most relevant to recycled-content claims. The key point is that physical segregation supports a stronger claim than mass balance, so the model your supplier uses limits what you can safely say on packaging.

| Chain-Of-Custody Model | What The Certificate Covers | Claim Strength Supported | Evidence The Buyer Must Require |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Physical Segregation** | Certified recycled material kept physically separate from non-certified material during storage and processing | [Supports a claim that the material in the shipment genuinely is recycled, though not necessarily from one identified origin](https://suhuimachine.com/blog/industry-news/pcr-plastic) | Purchasing and sales documents, delivery notes, production records, inventory movements, and chain-of-custody records linking segregated input to output |
| **Mass Balance** | [Recycled input accounted against certified output, with certified and non-certified materials allowed to mix while quantities are tracked through bookkeeping](https://suhuimachine.com/blog/industry-news/pcr-plastic) | Supports a claim that a certified volume of recycled material entered the system, not that the physical product contains those specific recycled molecules | [Auditable records of inputs, outputs, conversion factors, losses, and allocations, plus a batch-to-SKU allocation sheet and third-party certification scheme documentation](https://topcentralgeo.com/articles/mass-balance-accounting) |

The practical consequence is straightforward. Mass balance claims must be worded precisely. Allocating a percentage of recycled feedstock does not automatically match a statement that the finished product physically contains that same percentage of recycled material. A buyer whose marketing says “made with 30% recycled content” needs to know which model produced that number before approving packaging.

For recyclability claims, require evidence of real-world collection access, not just technical recyclability. [Under 16 CFR § 260.12, an unqualified recyclable claim requires recycling facilities available to at least 60% of consumers or communities where the item is sold.](https://ecoworldwide.com/regions/ftc-green-guides) For compostability, require documentation that separates home composting from industrial composting conditions, because most compostable packaging needs industrial facilities. In your supplier code of conduct, prohibit vague terms like “eco-friendly” and “sustainable,” since undefined terms cannot be substantiated.

## How To Verify A Supplier Certificate Actually Covers Your Material

A certificate with the wrong scope is the most common failure point in supplier plastic claim verification. A third-party certificate substantiates only what falls within the certified scope, for the certified facility, during the certified period.

Use this procedure for any certificate received from a supplier:

- Check the certificate number against the issuing body’s public registry, not only the supplier’s PDF, which can be edited.
- Confirm that the covered facility matches the facility that produced your specific order, since a certificate for a headquarters site does not cover a contract manufacturer.
- Confirm that the material grade and polymer type listed on the certificate match what you purchased.
- Confirm that the certificate has not expired. [GRS certificates expire and only apply for the period stated on the current document, so an expired or canceled certificate should not be treated as current evidence.](https://intelligentliving.co/grs-certification-what-it-really-verifies)
- Confirm that the specific claim being made, including recycled content percentage and chain-of-custody model, falls inside the certified scope.
- For shipment-specific claims, obtain and verify the Transaction Certificate for that order separately from the Scope Certificate.

[A name mismatch between the certified holder and the company issuing the invoice is a strong warning sign, and layout quality does not fix that gap.](https://jfpackfilm.com/articles/how-to-verify-shrink-film-certifications)

For a parallel framework applied to liquid-product supply chains, see [Require Plastic Content Verification From Your Water Vendors](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/require-plastic-content-verification-vendors/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent).

## Contract Clauses That Make Plastic Claims Enforceable

Clear contract clauses turn plastic claim requirements into enforceable purchasing conditions. The following clause types, shown as examples, help legal and procurement teams align expectations with suppliers.

**Substantiation Timeline Clause (Example Language):** Supplier shall deliver all substantiation documentation required under this agreement no fewer than [X] business days before any claim is applied to packaging, marketing materials, or retailer submissions. Buyer’s approval of substantiation is required before the claim goes live.

**Right-To-Audit Clause (Example Language):** Buyer reserves the right to audit Supplier’s records, facilities, and upstream chain-of-custody documentation relevant to any plastic or recycled-content claim, with [10–30] days’ notice for routine audits and shorter notice where a credible allegation of misrepresentation exists. Denial of access constitutes a material breach. [Where an audit identifies a material misstatement, audit costs may be borne by the supplier.](https://councilfire.org/guides/key-esg-clauses-vendor-agreements)

**Indemnification Clause (Example Language):** Supplier shall defend, indemnify, and hold Buyer harmless from losses, regulatory investigations, civil penalties, third-party claims, and reasonable attorneys’ fees that arise from inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading plastic claim substantiation. [The indemnification duty survives termination of the contract.](https://councilfire.org/guides/key-esg-clauses-vendor-agreements)

**Rejection Rights Clause (Example Language):** Goods delivered without required substantiation documentation, or whose substantiation does not support the specified claim, are nonconforming and rejectable without penalty. Buyer retains the right to cancel affected orders, return goods at Supplier’s expense, and require replacement within [X] days at no additional cost.

[Marketing and legal teams should review new claims together, and existing claims should be audited regularly, especially when suppliers or manufacturing locations change.](https://klgates.com/Closing-the-Gaps-Managing-Operational-Risk-in-the-Consumer-Products-Industry-4-14-2026)

## What A Lab Report Does And Does Not Prove

A lab report that states “none detected” means none found above that instrument’s detection floor, for the polymers it screened, in the lot it tested. It does not mean none present. This difference explains why no supplier’s “no microplastics detected” report can support an absolute plastic-free claim.

![Fragments of plastic suspended in blue water below the surface.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829388732-c6255482b477.webp)**Plastic doesn't disappear — it fragments. These secondary microplastics are the breakdown products of everyday objects, and independent research now detects them across the water supply. Detection, though, establishes presence, not absence.**

The California State Water Board’s analytical methods show this gap clearly. The SWB-MP1-rev1 infrared spectroscopy method applies to particles greater than 50 µm through 5,000 µm. The SWB-MP2-rev1 Raman spectroscopy method applies to particles greater than 20 µm through 5,000 µm. The 1–20 µm fraction is not validated under either method.

California’s drinking-water definition of microplastics reaches down to 1 nanometer, while the best validated methods begin at 20 or 50 micrometers. [Particles below the optical-resolution threshold cannot be resolved as discrete objects regardless of chemical composition, so a “none detected” result cannot exclude smaller particles.](https://mdpi.com/2673-8929/5/3/167) A supplier cannot issue a “none detected” report without identifying the validated size range, recovery, reporting threshold, and sample preparation conditions. A buyer should not accept a report that omits these details.

![Colorful plastic fragments in water inside a laboratory petri dish.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829410323-fb401fc7b1e4.webp)**Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters. Current methods can count and identify them at the upper end of that range, but reliable measurement falls away as particles get smaller — a limit that shapes every honest claim.**

These California methods serve here as a technical benchmark, not a geographic requirement. The Wellness Quality Institute aligns its review criteria with this framework because it represents the strictest credible public reference for microplastics testing, not because California has authorized or endorsed the program. For more detail on what lab data can and cannot prove, see [Microplastics Claim Verification: What Lab Data Can Prove](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/microplastics-claim-verification-data/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) and [What Microplastics Testing Proves And Where It Stops](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/what-microplastics-testing-proves/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent).

>

*Wellness Quality Institute Plastic-Free Pathway Verification does not certify that a product contains zero plastic, microplastics, or nanoplastics. It shows that the company is on a verified pathway toward plastic-free standards. Verification applies only to the reviewed products, submitted datasets, tested ranges, polymer panels, production or sampling periods, and supporting controls. WQI verification is not a California approval, government certification, or health or safety certification.*

## Batch-Level Traceability And Responding When A Claim Fails

Batch-level traceability connects each shipment to its evidence. An annual certificate shows that a supplier’s systems were audited during a defined period, but it does not prove that every shipment from that period meets the standard. Require per-lot documentation, such as a Transaction Certificate or equivalent batch record, matched to each purchase order and stating the recycled-content percentage, chain-of-custody model, and the certified seller’s certificate number.

[A recycled content claim survives an audit only when every handover between companies leaves a reconcilable paper trail, and the weakest link often sits further upstream than the brand expects.](https://suhuimachine.com/blog/industry-news/pcr-plastic)

When a claim fails because substantiation does not support the specified claim, the contract should define the sequence. The supplier submits a corrective action plan within a set period, often 15–30 days. The buyer keeps the right to reject affected goods, and indemnification rights remain in place whether or not goods are returned. Under Wellness Quality Institute Plastic-Free Pathway Verification, a Standard Not Met outcome remains private. It carries no public claim, no logo rights, and no registry listing, and it is never described as a failed product. It can reflect insufficient data or an unsupported method rather than a product problem, and the company may resubmit with updated information.

[When claims fail, you need a plan. Learn how WQI verification can support your response.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What Should “Verified” Mean In A Supplier Plastic Claim Context?

A supplier plastic claim counts as verified when an independent party with no stake in the outcome reviews the dataset, method, and scope against published criteria, and the claim language stays within what that evidence supports. A supplier declaration, a lab report, and a certificate are inputs to verification. None of them qualifies as verification on its own. Verification always requires an independent review step that the supplier cannot perform for itself.

### How Do I Check Whether A Certificate Actually Covers My Material?

Take the certificate number to the issuing body’s public registry and confirm the entry independently. Check that the certified facility matches the facility that produced your order and that the material grade and polymer type match what you purchased. Confirm that the certificate has not expired and that the specific claim being made falls inside the certified scope. For recycled-content claims, also obtain the shipment-specific Transaction Certificate, because the Scope Certificate alone does not prove that a particular shipment contains certified material.

### What Is The Difference Between Mass Balance And Physical Segregation?

Physical segregation keeps certified recycled material physically separate from non-certified material throughout the supply chain, so the material in the shipment genuinely is recycled, though not necessarily from one identified origin. Mass balance allows certified and non-certified materials to mix during processing while certified quantities are tracked through bookkeeping. A mass balance certificate supports a claim that a certified volume of recycled material entered the system, not that the physical product you received contains those specific recycled molecules. These models support different claim strengths, and a buyer needs to know which model a supplier uses before approving a recycled-content claim on packaging.

### Why Can’t A “None Detected” Lab Report Support A Plastic-Free Claim?

As explained earlier, “none detected” only means none found above the method’s detection floor for the polymers and lot tested. The best validated microplastics methods begin at 20 or 50 micrometers, while California’s drinking-water definition of microplastics reaches down to 1 nanometer. The 1–20 µm fraction is not validated under California’s published methods, and everything smaller sits beyond reliable commercial measurement. A “none detected” result can coexist with particles below the detection floor. No lab report today can support an absolute plastic-free claim because no method can rule out what it cannot see.

### Does WQI Verification Replace Legal Or Advertising-Claims Review?

The Wellness Quality Institute Plastic-Free Pathway Verification provides an independent review of a company’s laboratory dataset against a defined standard. It does not provide legal counsel, regulatory counsel, or advertising-claims review, and it does not replace those services. Companies remain responsible for ensuring that all product, packaging, and marketing claims are accurate and properly substantiated under applicable law. WQI verification supplies an independently reviewed evidentiary foundation and approved claim language tied to the specific reviewed evidence. Legal and compliance teams still decide how to use that evidence in the market.

## Read Next

- [How To Set Supplier Verification for Plastic Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claims-supplier-verification-requirements/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Supplier Verification Checklist for Plastic Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/supplier-verification-requirements-plastic-claims/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [How To Verify Supplier Environmental Claims: A Guide](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/third-party-claims-validation-suppliers/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [How to Verify Plastic-Related Claims Using Lab Data](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/verify-plastic-free-claims-lab/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Turn Plastic Lab Data into Registry-Backed CPG Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/third-party-verification-cpg-suppliers/?utm_term=require-verified-plastic-claims-suppliers&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

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    - **Name:** What Should Verified Mean In A Supplier Plastic Claim Context?
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      - **Text:** A supplier plastic claim counts as verified when an independent party with no stake in the outcome reviews the dataset, method, and scope against published criteria, and the claim language stays within what that evidence supports. A supplier declaration, a lab report, and a certificate are inputs to verification. None of them qualifies as verification on its own. Verification always requires an independent review step that the supplier cannot perform for itself.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** How Do I Check Whether A Certificate Actually Covers My Material?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Take the certificate number to the issuing body’s public registry and confirm the entry independently. Check that the certified facility matches the facility that produced your order and that the material grade and polymer type match what you purchased. Confirm that the certificate has not expired and that the specific claim being made falls inside the certified scope. For recycled-content claims, also obtain the shipment-specific Transaction Certificate, because the Scope Certificate alone does not prove that a particular shipment contains certified material.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** What Is The Difference Between Mass Balance And Physical Segregation?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Physical segregation keeps certified recycled material physically separate from non-certified material throughout the supply chain, so the material in the shipment genuinely is recycled, though not necessarily from one identified origin. Mass balance allows certified and non-certified materials to mix during processing while certified quantities are tracked through bookkeeping. A mass balance certificate supports a claim that a certified volume of recycled material entered the system, not that the physical product you received contains those specific recycled molecules. These models support different claim strengths, and a buyer needs to know which model a supplier uses before approving a recycled-content claim on packaging.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Why Can’t A None Detected Lab Report Support A Plastic-Free Claim?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** As explained earlier, none detected only means none found above the method’s detection floor for the polymers and lot tested. The best validated microplastics methods begin at 20 or 50 micrometers, while California’s drinking-water definition of microplastics reaches down to 1 nanometer. The 1–20 µm fraction is not validated under California’s published methods, and everything smaller sits beyond reliable commercial measurement. A none detected result can coexist with particles below the detection floor. No lab report today can support an absolute plastic-free claim because no method can rule out what it cannot see.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Does WQI Verification Replace Legal Or Advertising-Claims Review?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** The Wellness Quality Institute Plastic-Free Pathway Verification provides an independent review of a company’s laboratory dataset against a defined standard. It does not provide legal counsel, regulatory counsel, or advertising-claims review, and it does not replace those services. Companies remain responsible for ensuring that all product, packaging, and marketing claims are accurate and properly substantiated under applicable law. WQI verification supplies an independently reviewed evidentiary foundation and approved claim language tied to the specific reviewed evidence. Legal and compliance teams still decide how to use that evidence in the market.

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  - **Headline:** How To Require And Verify Supplier Plastic Claims
  - **Description:** Verify supplier plastic claims with confidence. The Wellness Quality Institute helps you demand evidence, audit certificates, and enforce contracts.
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    - **Description:** Scott Stevenson is part of the Wellness Quality Institute team, where he supports WQI’s work to advance product transparency, credible verification, and greater consumer trust. His background spans ethics and compliance, corporate trust, and responsible business, including experience with Ethisphere Institute and global companies navigating evolving standards and stakeholder expectations.
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---

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## Citations

- [Credible Plastic-Free Claim Language: A Practical Playbook](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/credible-plastic-free-claim-language)
- [Retail Supplier Plastic Reduction Compliance & Proof](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/retail-supplier-plastic-compliance-guide)
- [How To Verify Plastic Contamination In Protein Powder](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/verify-protein-powder-plastic-contamination)
- [Plastic Claim Substantiation: Evidence Before You Claim](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claim-substantiation-evidence-requirements)
- [How To Make Plastic Reduction Claims That Hold Up](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/substantiate-clean-label-plastic-reduction)

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