Danish courts find Danish Crown's "Klimakontrolleret gris" label breached the Marketing Practices Act (2024)
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- Western High Court (Vestre Landsret), Denmark found that a claim made in my name was misleading. The claim was: “"Klimakontrolleret gris" (climate-controlled pig)” Forbrugerrådet Tænk (Danish Consumer Council; intervener on the claimants' side)
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
On 1 March 2024 the Western High Court (Vestre Landsret) ruled that Danish Crown's "Klimakontrolleret gris" label breached the Marketing Practices Act and did not find the slogan "Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror" misleading. On 12 April 2024 Danish Crown told the Supreme Court (Højesteret) that it accepted that both statements breached the Act and accepted a ban; press reports say the Supreme Court ruled in line with that acceptance on 23 July 2024.
Western High Court (Vestre Landsret), 1 March 2024, as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk. The slogan "Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror" was not found misleading by that court. On 12 April 2024 Danish Crown accepted before the Supreme Court that both statements breached the Act.
Status As of December 2025: the Supreme Court ruled on 23 July 2024 in line with Danish Crown's acceptance, as reported by LandbrugsAvisen; the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration closed its case with a reprimand and no fine, according to Greenpeace Denmark.
- Danish Crown — Label found to breach the Marketing Practices Act; accepted a ban on both statements; ordered to pay DKK 54,000 to the two organisations in the Supreme Court proceedings (as reported) LandbrugsAvisen (citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening)
What happened
In 2020 Danish Crown launched an advertising campaign that, according to Greenpeace Denmark, cost DKK 7.5 million and told Danes that its pork was "klimakontrolleret" and had a 25 per cent lower climate footprint. The label "Klimakontrolleret gris" (climate-controlled pig) appeared on packs of pork; a second statement used in the campaign was "Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror". Greenpeace complained to the Consumer Ombudsman in June 2021 and the complaint was passed on to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen). Danish Crown withdrew the campaign in 2021 (October 2021, according to Greenpeace). Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark sued Danish Crown for breach of the Marketing Practices Act (markedsføringsloven).
On 1 March 2024 the Western High Court (Vestre Landsret) decided the case. Forbrugerrådet Tænk reported that the court concluded that the designation "klimakontrolleret gris" was "egnet til at vildlede forbrugere, så de ikke kunne træffe et oplyst valg" (suited to mislead consumers so that they could not make an informed choice) and that the court did not regard the slogan "Mere klimavenlig end du tror" as misleading. The organisations appealed to the Supreme Court.
On 12 April 2024 Danish Crown informed the Supreme Court that it "tager bekræftende til genmæle" (accepts) the claims of the two organisations: it accepted that when it used the statements it did not comply with the requirements of the Marketing Practices Act, and accepted a ban on using them in any marketing in future. The company said it had withdrawn the campaign in 2021 and would continue not to use the expressions. According to LandbrugsAvisen, citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening, the Supreme Court then ruled on Tuesday 23 July 2024, in line with Danish Crown's acceptance, that the company had breached the Act with the label and the slogan, banned the slogan for five years and the "Klimakontrolleret" labelling scheme, and Danish Crown was ordered to pay DKK 54,000 to the two organisations.
Greenpeace Denmark states that the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration closed its own case in December 2025 with a reprimand ("indskærpelse") and no fine because the case was time-barred, and that the administration's control report called the claim of a 25 per cent lower climate footprint misleading because it rested on generic average data rather than Danish Crown's own suppliers.
- 2020Danish Crown launches the "klimakontrolleret" campaign (DKK 7.5 million, according to Greenpeace Denmark)
- 2021June: Greenpeace complains to the Consumer Ombudsman, which passes the complaint to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration; October: Danish Crown stops the campaign, according to Greenpeace Denmark
- 20241 March: Western High Court rules that the "Klimakontrolleret gris" label breached the Marketing Practices Act and does not find the second slogan misleading
- 202412 April: Danish Crown tells the Supreme Court it accepts that both statements breached the Act and accepts a ban
- 202423 July: Supreme Court rules in line with Danish Crown's acceptance (as reported by LandbrugsAvisen)
- 2025December: Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's control report; reprimand and no fine (as reported by Greenpeace Denmark)
What was said
“accepterer Danish Crown, at vi, da vi anvendte de pågældende udsagn, ikke overholdt markedsføringslovens krav”
“det er afgørende for os og det øvrige erhvervsliv, at vi kan kommunikere vores klimatiltag”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Sued Danish Crown for breach of the Marketing Practices Act over the label and the slogan.
Greenpeace DanmarkSaid, as the case was filed, that it is crucial for it and for other businesses to be able to communicate climate measures; on 12 April 2024 it accepted the claims before the Supreme Court.
Danish Crown (company news)Ruled that the label breached the Act and did not regard the slogan as misleading (as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk).
Forbrugerrådet Tænk (Danish Consumer Council; intervener on the claimants' side)How it looked
Shown
- The label "Klimakontrolleret gris" (climate-controlled pig) on packs of pork.
- The slogan "Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror".Danish Crown · Danish Crown (company news)
Recorded
- The Western High Court ruled on 1 March 2024 that the "Klimakontrolleret gris" label breached the Marketing Practices Act and did not regard the slogan "Mere klimavenlig end du tror" as misleading (as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk).
- On 12 April 2024 Danish Crown accepted before the Supreme Court that when it used the statements it did not comply with the requirements of the Marketing Practices Act, and accepted a ban on using them in any marketing in future.
- The Supreme Court ruled on 23 July 2024 that Danish Crown had breached the Act with both statements, banned the slogan for five years and the "Klimakontrolleret" scheme, and Danish Crown was to pay DKK 54,000 to the two organisations (as reported by LandbrugsAvisen).
- The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's control report called the claim of a 25 per cent lower climate footprint misleading and the term "klimakontrolleret" unclear and without basis; the case ended with a reprimand and no fine (as reported by Greenpeace Denmark).
In nature's name
Promised
- “"Klimakontrolleret gris" (climate-controlled pig)” — Danish Crown (2020) Greenpeace Danmark
- “"Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror"” — Danish Crown (2020) Danish Crown (company news)
Money moved in nature's name
| What | Kind | Amount | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of the Danish Crown "klimakontrolleret" campaign, as stated by Greenpeace Denmark Danish Crown Greenpeace Danmark | Spent | 7.5m DKK | 2020 |
| Ordered to be paid by Danish Crown to Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark in the Supreme Court proceedings Danish Crown LandbrugsAvisen (citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening) | Compensation | 0.05m DKK | 23 Jul 2024 |
What was measured
No independent measurement of the climate effect of the production behind the label is on record in the sources reviewed. The rulings concern whether the label and the slogan met the requirements of the Marketing Practices Act.
Findings on record
- Court or regulator ruling Western High Court (Vestre Landsret), Denmark (2024-03-01) · Breach of the Marketing Practices Act by the label "Klimakontrolleret gris" (as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk); the slogan "Mere klimavenlig end du tror" was not found misleading Forbrugerrådet Tænk (Danish Consumer Council; intervener on the claimants' side)
- Own admission Danish Crown (2024-04-12) · Accepted before the Supreme Court that the label and the slogan did not comply with the Marketing Practices Act, and accepted a ban: “accepterer Danish Crown, at vi, da vi anvendte de pågældende udsagn, ikke overholdt markedsføringslovens krav” original in Danish Danish Crown (company news)
- Court or regulator ruling Supreme Court (Højesteret), Denmark (2024-07-23) · Breach of the Marketing Practices Act by the label and the slogan, in line with Danish Crown's acceptance; five-year ban on the slogan and ban on the "Klimakontrolleret" scheme (as reported by LandbrugsAvisen) LandbrugsAvisen (citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening)
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- danish-crown (2024-04-12): Told the Supreme Court on 12 April 2024 that it accepts that, when it used the statements, it did not comply with the requirements of the Marketing Practices Act, and accepts a ban on using them in any marketing in future. It said the long and thorough proceedings in the Western High Court had given rise to useful reflections and a useful debate on where the limits lie, and that it will continue to communicate its climate measures within the framework of the Western High Court's decision. · Danish Crown (company news)
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024-03-01Claimant wonDansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark v Danish Crown ("Klimakontrolleret gris")Western High Court (Vestre Landsret) · Civil · Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark → Danish Crown
The label "Klimakontrolleret gris" was ruled to breach the Marketing Practices Act; the slogan "Mere klimavenlig end du tror" was not regarded as misleading (as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk). The claimants won on the label and lost on the slogan. Forbrugerrådet Tænk (Danish Consumer Council; intervener on the claimants' side)
- 2024-07-23Claimant wonDKK 54bn Ordered to be paid by Danish Crown to the two organisations (as reported by LandbrugsAvisen)Appeal to the Supreme Court: Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark v Danish CrownSupreme Court (Højesteret) · Appeal · Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark → Danish Crown
Danish Crown accepted the claims on 12 April 2024. The court ruled in line with that acceptance: breach of the Act with the label and the slogan, five-year ban on the slogan, ban on the "Klimakontrolleret" scheme (as reported by LandbrugsAvisen). LandbrugsAvisen (citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening)
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Accounts
- Disputed Whether the "Klimakontrolleret gris" label and the slogan "Dansk gris er mere klimavenlig, end du tror" complied with the Marketing Practices Act
Record
- None on record The Western High Court's judgment and the Supreme Court's judgment are not among the sources reviewed; their content is as reported by Forbrugerrådet Tænk, LandbrugsAvisen and Greenpeace Denmark, and Danish Crown's own statement.
- Insufficient Unconfirmed: an amount of DKK 300,000; whether it is costs or a penalty is not stated.
- None on record None on record: an independent measurement of the climate effect of the production behind the label.
Did the harm stop?
Danish Crown withdrew the campaign in 2021 and, on 12 April 2024, accepted a ban on using the statements in any marketing in future.
Who paid?
Danish Crown was ordered to pay DKK 54,000 to Dansk Vegetarisk Forening and Klimabevægelsen i Danmark in the Supreme Court proceedings, according to LandbrugsAvisen. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's case ended with a reprimand and no fine, according to Greenpeace Denmark.
Sources
Company or project
- Danish Crown tager bekræftende til genmæle i HøjesteretssagDanish Crown (company news) · 2024-04-12
Press and investigations
- Højesteret forbyder Danish Crown at bruge udsagn om klimagriseLandbrugsAvisen (citing a press release from Dansk Vegetarisk Forening) · 2024-07-25
Communities and civil society
- Danish Crowns ”klimakontrollerede gris” var greenwashingForbrugerrådet Tænk (Danish Consumer Council; intervener on the claimants' side) · 2024-03-01
- Danish Crowns greenwashing var ulovlig – men det tog fem år at få myndighederne til at sige detGreenpeace Danmark · 2026-04-07