Ads by major clothing brands banned over 'misleading' sustainability claims

Ads for Nike, Superdry and Lacoste person been banned successful the UK aft regulators ruled they exaggerated biology benefits and misled consumers.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said each 3 brands utilized presumption specified arsenic "sustainable", "sustainable materials" and "sustainable style" without grounds to backmost up the claims.

It said the adverts risked misleading shoppers who wanted to marque greener choices.

In a Google advertisement successful June, Nike promoted tennis polo shirts with "sustainable materials". Nike argued the wording was wide and referred to products made with recycled polyester.

But the ASA said the assertion was "absolute" and required beardown proof. It recovered Nike had not made it wide that the shirts did not person a detrimental interaction connected the environment.

Nike said it had engaged with the ASA and taken "necessary required actions", adding: "We stay committed to providing consumers with wide accusation to assistance them marque the choices that are close for them".

A Superdry advert successful June declared "Sustainable Style" and promised a wardrobe combining manner and "sustainability". Superdry said the assertion referred to collections containing sustainably sourced materials. It said the advertisement did not marque an implicit claim, nor did it suggest each its products were sustainable.

The ASA noted 64% of Superdry products successful 2024 utilized specified materials, but ruled that, without qualification, the sustainable assertion was "ambiguous and unclear". It said it welcomed Superdry's determination to region the ad.

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A Google advertisement for Lacoste children's covering utilized the word "sustainable". Lacoste admitted that specified claims are hard to substantiate and withdrew the advert instantly aft the complaint. The marque pledged not to repetition the wording successful future.

Justine Grimley, operations manager for the ASA's greenish task team, said: "We cognize that radical are progressively looking to marque greener choices, truthful it's important that advertisers are wide and upfront erstwhile making biology claims.

"Broad oregon unproven statements hazard giving a misleading representation of however environmentally-friendly a merchandise truly is."

She added the rulings nonstop a "clear message" that brands indispensable backmost up greenish claims with coagulated evidence.