NOS News•today, 2:45 PM
The European Commission and national regulators require twenty airlines to adjust misleading sustainability claims.
The companies now have one month to substantiate or adjust their green claims. If this does not happen, sanctions may follow, says the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, the supervisory authority.
No explanation
The ACM says it has come across several claims:
- using the term ‘sustainable fuels’ without explaining what is sustainable about it.
- Suggesting that a flight’s carbon emissions can be offset by paying extra for carbon offset projects.
- use of absolute sustainability claims such as ‘green’ and ‘responsible’.
- claiming that a society is on its way to carbon neutrality without clear and verifiable targets.
Green claims are often a marketing ploy. That’s called ‘Greenwashing’. NOS op 3 made this video about it:
Sustainable or just expensive? This is greenwashing
“Flying is and remains a polluting mode of transport,” says Cateautje Hijmans van den Bergh of the ACM. “Companies must be honest and clear in their communication about their sustainability efforts. Only then can consumers make good environmentally conscious choices.”
It has not been announced which companies are involved. “It has been decided not to mention the names at this stage,” said an ACM spokesperson.
Lawsuit about KLM
Last month, the judge ruled that KLM had made misleading green claims. For example, with slogans such as “Step by step towards a sustainable future”, KLM did not specify what measures the company had taken on the way there.
Because KLM no longer uses the offending advertisements, the company did not have to make corrections from the judge.
