According to a study commissioned by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations, advertising that makes statements about sustainability makes products appear in a much more positive light. This is problematic because many of these advertising statements are unregulated and unchecked. The association demands a seal check and a ban on unchecked green advertising claims.
The study by the research agency Zühlsdorf + Partner and the University of Göttingen analyzed the sustainability advertising in food. But it is probably only a matter of time before the topic is expanded to other sectors. Consumer center board member Ramona Pop points out that greenwashing advertising undermines the credibility of environmentally committed companies and says: “A check for climate claims is overdue.”
According to the study, only ten percent of those surveyed were able to correctly classify the connection between “climate neutrality” and “compensation”. The majority wrongly assumed that “climate neutral” meant “less greenhouse gas emissions”. In fact, greenhouse gases are always produced during production, according to the researchers.
The Federal Association of Consumers calls on the EU Commission to better regulate environmentally-related advertising claims. Environmentally-related advertising statements should therefore only be permitted if they can be verified. The awarding of sustainability labels should be controlled by the state. Advertising that products claim to be “carbon neutral” should be banned, as should environmental claims that only refer to individual aspects (e.g. the packaging) of a product. According to the association, sustainability seals should only be allowed if they are independently certified by a third party.
