Green claim
22 cases in 14 countries, 2007–2025. Most cases: United Kingdom (8), United States (3), Italy (2), Australia (2), EU (2).
Italian and French authorities act on Shein's environmental claims (2025)
On 3 July 2025 the French consumer authority DGCCRF announced a EUR 40 million fine for Shein's operator, accepted in a settlement with the Paris prosecutor, over misleading price-reduction and environmental claims. On 4 August 2025 the Italian competition authority announced a EUR 1,000,000 fine on Infinite Styles Services Co. Ltd over misleading and omissive environmental claims, in a decision taken on 29 July 2025.
UK competition authority accepts undertakings from ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda on green claims (2024)
On 27 March 2024 the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda had signed formal undertakings to use only accurate and clear green claims, after an investigation opened in July 2022. The undertakings were given voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability.
German courts bar 'CO2-neutral' and 'klimaneutral' advertising by five companies in cases brought by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (2023-2026)
Between March 2023 and July 2026 courts in Düsseldorf, Karlsruhe and Cologne ruled against climate-neutral or offset advertising by TotalEnergies Wärme & Kraftstoff Deutschland, dm, Eurowings, ZG Raiffeisen Energie and Lufthansa, in cases brought by Deutsche Umwelthilfe. The Cologne Higher Regional Court dismissed Eurowings' appeal on 13 December 2024 and, on 8 July 2026, left only one Lufthansa statement barred after the claimant waived the other.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about Shell, Repsol and Petronas transition advertisements (7 June 2023)
On 7 June 2023 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled on advertisements by Shell UK Ltd, Repsol SA and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas). It found that each advertisement omitted material information and was misleading or likely to mislead.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about two Etihad environmental advertisements (12 April and 6 December 2023)
The UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled twice on Etihad Airways advertisements in 2023. On 12 April it concluded that the "sustainable aviation" claim exaggerated the impact that flying with Etihad would have on the environment; on 6 December it concluded that a Google search ad gave a misleading impression of Etihad's environmental impact.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaint about Lufthansa "Fly more sustainably" Google ad (6 December 2023)
On 6 December 2023 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled that a Lufthansa paid Google ad with the claim "Fly more sustainably" (A23-1206007) gave a misleading impression of Lufthansa's environmental impact because the basis of the claim was not made clear.
FTC and Justice Department seek penalties from Kohl's and Walmart over "bamboo" textile claims (United States, 2022)
On 8 April 2022 the US Federal Trade Commission announced that the Department of Justice had filed complaints and proposed consent orders against Kohl's and Walmart over rayon textiles marketed as bamboo, with penalties of $2.5 million for Kohl's and $3 million for Walmart. The orders take effect once a district court judge approves and signs them.
Dutch consumer authority obtains commitments from H&M ("Conscious") and Decathlon ("Ecodesign") (2022)
On 13 September 2022 the Dutch consumer authority (ACM) announced binding commitments from H&M and Decathlon, decided on 19 August 2022, over sustainability claims it described as unclear and insufficiently substantiated. It imposed no sanctions; Decathlon committed to a donation of EUR 400,000 and H&M to EUR 500,000, and ACM will enforce the commitments over two years.
Norwegian Consumer Authority finds Norrøna's use of Higg MSI data in organic cotton marketing misleading and prohibited (2022)
In a letter of 14 June 2022 the Norwegian Consumer Authority concluded that Norrøna's use of Higg MSI data to market the environmental benefits of organic cotton t-shirts was misleading and prohibited, and asked Norrøna to change or remove it by 14 August 2022. On 27 June 2022 the Sustainable Apparel Coalition said it was pausing consumer-facing use of Higg data.
FIFA's "carbon-neutral" claim for the 2022 Qatar World Cup: Swiss Commission for Fairness upholds five complaints (2023)
On 7 June 2023 the Swiss Commission for Fairness (SLK) announced that it had upheld all five complaints, from Switzerland, France, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands, against FIFA's claims that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was climate- or carbon-neutral, and recommended that FIFA stop making them. It found FIFA had not proved the claims accurate. The SLK's press release states that the decision is legally binding; Reuters reported that the commission issues recommendations, not state-enforceable judgments.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about Innocent "Little drinks with big dreams for a healthier planet" advertisements (23 February 2022)
On 23 February 2022 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled that three Innocent advertisements (television and video on demand) were misleading because they implied that buying Innocent products was a choice which would have a positive environmental impact when that was not the case.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about Tesco Plant Chef "even better for the planet" advertisements (8 June 2022)
On 8 June 2022 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled on six Tesco Plant Chef advertisements (171 complaints). It found that Tesco held no evidence on the full lifecycle of any Plant Chef product and that the claims were not substantiated and were likely to mislead.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaint about Unilever Persil "kinder to our planet" television advertisement (31 August 2022)
On 31 August 2022 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled that a Persil television advertisement with the on-screen text "TOUGH ON STAINS, KINDER TO OUR PLANET" was likely to mislead, because Unilever held no evidence of the products' full life-cycle environmental impact compared with earlier formulations or other products.
ASIC infringement notices to Tlou Energy and Black Mountain Energy over carbon-neutral, low-emissions and net-zero statements (2022-2023)
Australia's securities regulator ASIC said that Tlou Energy paid A$53,280 to comply with four infringement notices (media release of 27 October 2022) and that Black Mountain Energy paid A$39,960 to comply with three (media release of 5 January 2023), over sustainability-related statements made to the ASX. ASIC stated that payment of an infringement notice is not an admission of guilt or liability.
Gorizia court grants Alcantara an interim injunction against Miko's "100% recyclable" and "eco-friendly" claims for Dinamica microfibre (2021); Miko says the order was later revoked
The Gorizia court granted competitor Alcantara an interim injunction in November 2021 against Miko's green claims for its "Dinamica" microfibre and ordered the ruling published on Miko's website. Reports describe it as the first precautionary greenwashing order of an ordinary Italian court. Miko stated that a new panel of the court later accepted its complaint and revoked the order.
Danish courts find Danish Crown's "Klimakontrolleret gris" label breached the Marketing Practices Act (2024)
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.
UK Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about Ryanair "lowest emissions airline" advertisements (5 February 2020)
On 5 February 2020 the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Ryanair press, television and radio advertisements claiming "Europe's … Lowest Emissions Airline" and "low CO2 emissions" were misleading, after 167 complaints.
Swedish court bans Arla's "netto noll klimatavtryck" claim for organic dairy products (2023)
The Patent and Market Court of the Stockholm District Court ruled on 2 February 2023, in a case brought by the Consumer Ombudsman, that Arla's "netto noll klimatavtryck" (net zero climate footprint) claim on its Arla Ko Eko products was misleading, because the promised effect would be reached only after 100 years. It banned the claim under a fine of SEK 1,000,000 and ordered Arla to pay the Consumer Ombudsman's costs of SEK 354,855.
Sustainable-labelled funds: assets, renaming under the EU fund-name rules, fees and impact studies
Funds with an environmental, sustainability or impact claim held USD 3.901 trillion at the end of 2025, according to Morningstar. After the EU fund-name guidelines, 65% of funds named in the 25 largest EU managers' notices changed name, ESMA reported, and peer-reviewed studies found little effect of such funds on company behaviour.
EU budget 2014–2020: climate spending reported by the Commission and the European Court of Auditors' finding
The European Commission reported €216 billion, 20.1% of the 2014–2020 EU budget, as climate spending. In Special Report 09/2022 the European Court of Auditors said the Commission had overstated climate spending by at least €72 billion and that around 13% of the budget was spent on climate action.
Mantria and DC Solar: two US investment schemes sold on carbon-negative housing, biochar and solar generators
Mantria raised $54.5m from investors on a carbon-negative housing and biochar offer; its founder was sentenced to 22 years in August 2019. DC Solar sold mobile solar generators, many of which did not exist, in a scheme of about $1bn; its owner was sentenced to 30 years in November 2021.
Vale Florestar, the Carajás railway and Piquiá de Baixo, Brazil
Vale's Vale Florestar programme planted eucalyptus and native species in Pará and became a R$605 million investment fund in 2010, whose quotas Suzano bought in 2014 for R$528,940,906.15. Beside the railway that carries Vale's iron ore, residents of Piquiá de Baixo reported decades of pollution from pig-iron plants; no court has ruled on liability, and 312 houses were handed over at a new site in 2024.