Climate neutrality cannot be touted in advertisements as there is no definitive method to measure such a claim, Switzerland’s independent consumer protection group ruled Tuesday.
The ruling means that slogans such as “C02 neutral,” “climate neutral” or “climate positive” are considered misleading, said the Consumer Protection Foundation (SKS), which represents German-speaking Swiss consumers.
If an offending company fails to adapt their advertising, the economic affairs ministry must take action against them, the foundation said, on the basis of recent verdicts by the Swiss Fairness Commission, another independent group representing consumers, media and advertisers.
The commission had found two cases — involving the marketing of fuel and baby food — to be unfair in their presentation of climate neutrality.
Without a definitive and widely accepted method to measure their claims or guarantee the implementation for sustainability, it found that such green marketing messages are misleading to consumers.
It called on both firms to either abandon their claims in the absence of concrete evidence or adjust them where there is tangible proof their carbon emissions are fully offset.
In addition to the complaints that had been filed to the commission, consumer protection groups have also raised their concerns with the economic affairs ministry over unfair advertising — cases which are still pending.
“It would be a bad signal if the decision of the Commission were ignored” by the ministry, according to the consumer protection group’s director Sara Stalder.
She added that the absence of legal requirements for environmental-related advertisements is a “fundamental problem” and as long as conditions remain unclear, all “green” claims must be considered unfair.
