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UK Watchdog Culls Ads for Misleading 'Sustainable' Claims
3 Dec
Summary
- Three major fashion brands banned from UK advertising.
- Ads used 'sustainable' claims without adequate proof.
- Watchdog cited lack of substantiation for green claims.
Advertising watchdog the ASA has banned paid Google adverts from Nike, Superdry, and Lacoste in the UK. The decision stems from the use of terms such as 'sustainable' and 'sustainable materials' without providing adequate proof to back the green claims made.
The ASA stated that the fashion retailers' environmental claims were ambiguous and lacked the necessary high level of substantiation required by advertising codes. In cases involving Nike, Superdry, and Lacoste, the watchdog found insufficient evidence to support the absolute nature of their 'sustainable' marketing messages.
Consequently, the ASA has prohibited these misleading advertisements and instructed the brands to ensure future environmental claims are clear, substantiated, and precisely defined to avoid deceiving consumers about their products' eco-credentials.
