ANPEa Primark branch in Amsterdam
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 20:25
The sustainability claims that Primark makes on large posters in its own Dutch stores are misleading. The Advertising Code Committee has reached this conclusion.
The clothing chain has placed texts on posters such as “Reduce CO2 emissions by 50%. So the planet can breathe freely” and “Organic, recycled, sustainable and affordable cotton”. According to the committee, this wrongly gives the impression that this is already the situation at Primark, while it is an aim for the future.
Primark does make this nuanced on the posters, but it is in such small letters that consumers can easily miss it, according to the committee. In addition, there are doubts about the feasibility of some claims. For example, Primark wants to halve emissions by 2027, according to the small letters, but according to the committee there is no concrete step-by-step plan for this.
Circular
The committee found a claim about no longer using single-use plastic to be similarly misleading.
The committee also ruled on a poster that stated “We make our clothing circular. So that the world keeps turning.” This poster again contained the text in small letters that clothing will be recyclable in 2027, but the committee also says that this nuance will probably go unnoticed by consumers. In addition, the committee believes that Primark does not make it clear enough that ‘circular’ in this context means ‘recyclable’.
De RoosOne of the posters in Primark
The case was presented to the committee by fashion journalist Sara Dubbeldam. Primark is appealing the ruling. “Our objectives are realistic, achievable and are clearly communicated, including through an annual report,” a spokesperson told Modeplatform Fashion United.
As long as the appeal is ongoing, the chain does not have to adjust anything. However, if the ruling is upheld on appeal, the committee can ask the supervisory authority for the Consumer & Markets Authority (ACM) to intervene.
Something to hold on to
The ruling can also provide guidance in, for example, a civil lawsuit that may follow. Lawyer Laura van Gijn, who went to the committee on behalf of Dubbeldam, says that going to civil court is “certainly worth considering”.
It is more common that clothing brands and retail chains do not properly inform consumers about the sustainability of their products. For example, last year the ACM confronted Decathlon and H&M about the use of the terms ‘eco design’ and ‘conscious’ without explaining what they meant by it. No sanctions were imposed because both companies promised to inform consumers more clearly from now on and donated a total of 900,000 euros to various sustainable causes.
2023-10-24 18:25:38
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