Advertising Standards Authority to launch crackdown on ads falsely claiming low-carbon credentials – including airlines
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will conduct a series of inquiries into environmental advertising claims and practices by companies in several sectors – energy, heating and transport. Airline ads that encourage people to take flights and carmakers that show SUVs too positively are set to fall foul of a crackdown on marketing that encourages environmentally irresponsible behaviour. The intention is to support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. In early 2022 the ASA will expand its investigation to look at the accuracy of green claims made by companies around waste – and then later it will look at meat and food sustainability advertising. The ASA hopes their “work will continue to positively influence the fight against climate change.” It will also commission research into what the public understands by terms such as “carbon neutral” and “net zero” in order to inform its policing of claims. It has already clamped down on Ryanair – which got caught using outdated information to claim it was the UK’s lowest emission airline. The UK Competition and Markets Authority is also launching its own review of misleading green claims next year.
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Watchdog to launch crackdown on ads falsely claiming green credentials
The ASA will conduct a series of inquiries into environmental advertising claims and practices in several sectors – including aviation
By Mark Sweney @marksweney (The Guardian)
Thu 23 Sep 2021
Airline ads that encourage taking too many flights and carmakers that show SUVs tearing up the countryside are set to fall foul of a crackdown on marketing that encourages environmentally irresponsible behaviour.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is to launch a series of inquiries into the environmental advertising claims and practices across a range of sectors – starting with energy, heating and transport – in a drive to support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and battle the climate crisis.
Next spring the the watchdog will expand its investigation to look at the accuracy of green claims made by companies around waste, such as products being biodegradable, recyclable or a “plastic alternative”. Later next year the spotlight will turn to meat and food sustainability advertising, for example checking the accuracy of claims around environmental good practice by sellers of beef products, a hugely carbon intensive industry.
“The ASA is going to be shining a greater regulatory spotlight in the coming years on social responsibility and misleadingness issues when it comes to environmental claims in ads,” says Miles Lockwood, director of complaints and investigations at the ASA.
“We know that there needs to be systemic, wide scale change in order for the UK to meet the government’s climate targets. We know how concerned people are about ads inaccurately promoting green credentials. We believe that our work will continue to positively influence the fight against climate change.”
It will also commission research into what the public understands by terms such as “carbon neutral” and “net zero” in order to inform its policing of claims. It will examine the messaging around the meaning of “hybrid” in the burgeoning electric vehicle market.
“We have concerns about how companies might be using ‘green’ terms,” said Lockwood. “Carbon neutral in particular is emerging as a popular term, with lots of companies burnishing their green credentials by claiming their services add no carbon overall to the atmosphere.
“We want to better understand how companies are using terms like this across industries and how consumers understand these terms, so that our rules and guidance are in step with prevailing academic, scientific evidence and environmental standards so we’re best placed to tackle misleading and socially irresponsible green claims across media.”
The watchdog has clamped down on several major companies in recent years over their green claims in adverts, including Ryanair – which got caught using outdated information to claim it was the UK’s lowest emission airline – BMW and Shell.
The ASA is currently investigating complaints about a Land Rover Defender advert that shows one of the vehicles driving through a forest accompanied by the slogan “life is so much better without restrictions”. The complaints claim the advert encourages an irresponsible approach to nature and fails to mention the climate impact of SUVs.
Later this year, the ASA’s sister body the Committee of Advertising Practice – which sets the UK advertising code across all forms of media, from TV and newspapers to billboards and online – will issue new guidance to advertisers regarding misleading and socially irresponsible environmental claims and advertising.
On Monday, the Competition and Markets Authority said it would launch its own review of misleading green claims next year.
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See also
Supporting Ad Net Zero
https://www.asa.org.uk/news/supporting-ad-net-zero.html
CMA consults on guidance for ‘green’ claims: ASA response
https://www.asa.org.uk/news/cma-consults-on-guidance-for-green-claims-asa-response.html
ASA rule against Ryanair ad (greenwash) claim to have the lowest airline CO2 emissions
Ryanair has been accused of greenwashing after the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned an ad campaign, that tried to make out the airline has the lowest CO2 emissions of any major airline in Europe. It has been ordered to withdraw the misleading claims about its “green” credentials. Ryanair is in fact one of the top 10 carbon emitters in the EU, due to the number of flights. Ryanair probably has lower CO2 per passenger kilometre than many other airlines, as it has newer planes, and crams its planes full. But its rapid growth has meant its CO2 increased by 50% between 2013 and 2019. The ASA pointed out failings in the way Ryanair compared itself to other airlines, to make its carbon claims; it did not include all airlines or seating density; it did not substantiate its claims. The growth of Ryanair, and of air travel in general, in Europe has been due to the sector paying no jet fuel tax, making flying artificially cheap. The CO2 emissions of all flights departing from EU airports have grown from being 1.4% of total EU emissions in 1990 to 3.7% today.
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Competition watchdog gives firms deadline on ending ‘greenwashing’
CMA issues ‘green claims code’ and says too many businesses falsely taking credit to woo customers
Ryanair is among businesses that have come under fire over greenwashing adverts.
By Rob Davies @ByRobDavies
Mon 20 Sep 2021
The UK competition watchdog has given companies that make misleading claims about their environmental credentials until the end of the year to stop the practice, which is known as “greenwashing”.
Too many businesses were “falsely taking credit for being green” in order to woo environmentally minded consumers, the Competition and Markets Authority said.
The CMA highlighted the upcoming Cop26 climate conference being hosted by the UK in Glasgow, and urged firms to adhere to new guidelines it published on Wednesday to support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Starting in 2022, the regulator will launch a review of misleading green claims, with sectors including fashion, transport, the beauty industry and food and drink likely to face particular scrutiny.
The CMA began looking into green claims last year, finding that up to 40% could be misleading to consumers.
The Advertising Standards Authority has clamped down on several major companies in recent years over greenwashing adverts, including the airline Ryanair, the carmaker BMW and the oil producer Shell.
The CMA’s work will focus on whether companies’ claims breach consumer law, with the regulator saying any transgression could result in sanctions even before the review begins.
Its work will be underpinned by the new guidelines some have called the “green claims code”, which highlights six principles of behaviour companies should adhere to when making claims about the environmental impact of their products.
Among the CMA’s guiding principles are that firms “must not omit or hide important information” and “must consider the full lifecycle of the product”.
Greg Hands, the energy and climate change minister, said: “Millions of UK households are rightly choosing to switch to green products as they look to reduce their carbon footprint. But it’s only right that this commitment is backed up by transparent claims from businesses.
“The competition regulator’s new code will help to ensure this with advice on how best to communicate and understand environmental claims.
“Government is also reviewing green energy tariffs to ensure consumers can be confident they are choosing companies that make a conscious choice to invest in renewable energy.”
Andrea Coscelli, the chief executive of the CMA, said exaggerating green credentials could be an outright breach of consumer law, liable to lead to sanctions.
“More people than ever are considering the environmental impact of a product before parting with their hard-earned money,” he said. “We’re concerned that too many businesses are falsely taking credit for being green, while genuinely eco-friendly firms don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“Any business that fails to comply with the law risks damaging its reputation with customers and could face action from the CMA.”
Breaches of the relevant consumer protection legislation can carry a penalty of imprisonment for up to two years.
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