Latest news with #JürgenResch
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Court bans Adidas from making major marketing claim in its ads — here's what you need to know
A German court ordered Adidas to stop a series of advertisements claiming that the shoe company will be climate neutral by 2050. Environmental Action Germany, a nongovernmental organization, filed a lawsuit against Adidas in November 2024 alleging that the company misled the public regarding a climate-neutral marketing campaign. On March 26, the Nuremberg-Fürth Regional Court ruled in favor of Environmental Action Germany. According to a press release from the court, the ruling is based on Adidas' failure to explain how it would achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This comes after Adidas introduced the campaign on its website in July 2024. The court ruled that the company's "We will be climate neutral by 2050" statement created an inaccurate impression that the pledge would be achieved solely through its own emission reductions. However, the court ruled that Adidas was vague in its pledge. "The company did not explicitly state in the drop-down menus whether the targeted climate neutrality would be achieved solely through a reduction in CO2 emissions or also through CO2 offset certificates," the press release stated. "In fact, the sporting goods manufacturer intends to use offsetting measures in the form of the purchase of green electricity certificates to achieve climate neutrality in 2050." Greenwashing occurs when a company intentionally misleads consumers into believing that its products or services are more environmentally friendly than they actually are. This can negatively impact the environment by creating a false sense of progress in attempts to reach climate goals. Greenwashing campaigns can cultivate a culture of mistrust among consumers regarding environmental policies. This could further delay actual progress toward carbon-neutral actions. Jürgen Resch, the federal managing director of Environmental Action Germany, released a statement following the legal victory. "Adidas deceived its customers with its promise of alleged climate neutrality," Resch said. "The decisive factor is whether and to what extent the company actually aligns its products and business activities with greater climate compatibility." Should companies be required to help recycle their own products? Definitely No way It depends on the product They should get tax breaks instead Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
German court rules against Adidas on climate neutrality claim
Sportswear manufacturer Adidas engaged in misleading and impermissible advertising in its claim of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, a German court has ruled in a decision published on Wednesday. The ruling came in response to a complaint raised by the Deutsche Umwelthilfe environmental group, which termed the Adidas claim "greenwashing." The claim has been removed from the Adidas website. Adidas had failed to explain how climate neutrality would be achieved, and gave a false impression that this was possible purely by reducing emissions, the environmental group said. It said the company had in fact aimed to purchase compensation certificates to achieve its targets. Adidas said it aimed to achieve 90% of its targets by 2050 through its own measures to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The targets set for 2030 would be achieved purely by its own reductions, it said. The company will not have to undertake any action resulting from the court ruling, as the claim was adjusted in August 2024. "Our plans and targets on reducing emissions remain unchanged by the judgement," a company spokesman said. He noted that total emissions, including from the delivery chain, had been cut by 20% since 2022. Deutsche Umwelthilfe head Jürgen Resch said that Adidas had deceived its customers through its climate neutrality claim.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
German court bans Lufthansa from 'misleading' CO2 offsetting claims
German flag carrier Lufthansa has been banned from using two "misleading" statements on offsetting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The ruling by the Cologne Regional Court on Monday means the airline is no longer allowed to use two specific phrases in its marketing, which critics argued gave the impression that air travel could be climate-neutral. The lawsuit was filed by campaigning group Environmental Action Germany (DUH), which described the decision as an "important victory against misleading advertising." "The court confirms our criticism and addresses how one of the world's largest airlines systematically deceives customers and feigns climate neutrality for flights in exchange for additional fees," said DUH managing director Jürgen Resch. "Air travel is among the most severe contributors to climate impact. Selling a clear conscience in exchange for indulgence payments is therefore particularly reprehensible," Resch added. A Lufthansa spokesman said the Frankfurt-based company is aware of the ruling and will review the decision. "Lufthansa continuously pursues projects and measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of flying and always using the required resources as efficiently as possible," he stated.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Germany meets European air-quality limits for first time
Germany met all European air-quality limits for the first time in 2024, according to a preliminary data published by the German Environment Agency (UBA) on Thursday. The data comes from around 600 measuring stations and shows that the annual average limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) of 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air has been complied with for the first time since it became binding in 2010. UBA President Dirk Messner said this was the result of "targeted air quality measures at the EU, regional and local levels," adding that the after-treatment of exhaust gases, the electrification of buses in public transport and speed limits had all helped to improve air quality. However, nitrogen dioxide levels in Germany were close to the limit, with an average of exactly 40 micrograms per cubic metre measured on a busy road in the western city of Essen and 39 micrograms in the centre of Munich. The UBA said that there is still room for improvement, as the current limits are more than 20 years old and no longer reflect scientific knowledge of the health effects of air pollution. It referred to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), which has been recommending lower guideline values for years. German Environmental Aid (DUH) criticized the presentation by the UBA, accusing it of "concealing the actual health crisis in Germany" and arguiung that the data should not hide the fact that poor air quality endangers human life. DUH Managing Director Jürgen Resch added that air-quality limits were only met in 2024 because they are "far too weak."
