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Shell Germany: judicial judgment for misleading CO2 neutrality promises - a blow to Greenwashing
Shell Germany was convicted by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) before the Hamburg District Court for misleading environmental promises. The mineral oil company promises CO2-neutral car driving for only 1.1 cents per liter. The DUH criticizes the lack of transparency and the purchase of emission credits from forest protection projects. With this judgment, consumer deception has stopped and the DUH calls on other companies not to make an unsuitable compensation promise.
Shell Germany: judicial judgment for misleading CO2 neutrality promises - a blow to Greenwashing
Successful climate lawsuit: Prohibition of misleading advertising from Shell
The Hamburg Regional Court has decided an important climate lawsuit by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) against the mineral oil company Shell Germany. The DUH was confirmed in its request and the misleading of consumers by Shell’s advertising statements to prohibit CO2 neutrality. Shell Germany promises its customers CO2-neutral car driving for a price of only 1.1 cents per liter of petrol or diesel. The statements of the advertising were classified as very misleading. This also applies to the application of an allegedly CO2-neutral motor oil.
The lack of transparency in relation to CO2 neutrality and the compensation of CO2 emissions are criticisms of the DUH. Shell buys emission credits from forest protection projects in Peru and Indonesia to compensate for the CO2 emissions caused. The DUH points out that forest protection projects do not offer sufficient compensation for CO2, since the CO2 remains in the atmosphere for many centuries.
The judgment against Shell is rated as a great success for climate protection. Shell is responsible for the emissions of millions of tons of CO2 and the court's decision stops the misleading of consumers. The DUH announced that it continues to act against companies that apply fossil products or services as climate -neutral without fulfilling suitable compensation promises.
Jürgen Resch, Federal Managing Director of the DUH, explains: "Today's judgment against a large corporation on mineral oil is a bang for climate protection. We are calling for trade and industry to honestly reduce the environmental and climate effects of their products and to do without any form of greenwashing."
Agnes Sauter, head of ecological consumer advice and market monitoring of the DUH, emphasizes the right of consumers on truthful advertising and the need for transparency. As long as companies do not adequately explain why their products should be environmentally or climate-friendly, the DUH will demand this transparency and, if necessary, enforce it.
background:
As early as May 2022, Duh Shell Germany asked to hire its misleading advertising. After Shell refused to declare an injunction, the DUH submitted an injunction to the Hamburg Regional Court. This lawsuit has now been decided positively (AZ: 315 O 108/22).
The judgment of the Hamburg Regional Court: An important step in climate protection
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) won a pioneering climate lawsuit against the mineral oil company Shell before the Hamburg Regional Court. The court confirmed the misleading of consumers through Shell’s advertising promises to CO2 neutrality. Shell promises its customers CO2-neutral car driving for a low price per liter of petrol or diesel. The DUH has criticized the lack of transparency in CO2 neutrality and the questionable compensation of CO2 emissions. The court's decision is an important step in the fight against the misleading of consumers and shows that companies can be held responsible for their advertising statements. The DUH will continue to act against companies in the future who will try to advertise fossil products as climate -neutral without taking appropriate compensation measures.
The Federal Managing Director of DUH, Jürgen Resch, emphasized the importance of the judgment for climate protection and asked for trade and industry to honestly reduce the environmental and climate effects of their products. Agnes Sauter, head of ecological consumer advice and market monitoring of the DUH, emphasized the right of consumers on truthful advertising and called for better transparency of companies.
The verdict is a great success for climate protection and an important step towards honest and transparent advertising. Companies must take their responsibility seriously in terms of climate change and disclose the effects of their products on the environment. This is the only way to make well-founded decisions and help to reduce CO2 emissions.
background:
As early as May 2022, Duh Shell Germany asked to stop the misleading advertising. After Shell refused to submit a declaration of cease and desist, the DUH filed a lawsuit before the Hamburg Regional Court. The positive decision of the court (AZ: 315 O 108/22) shows that consumer protection organizations such as the DUH can successfully act against misleading advertising.