Environmental trouble for dm: misleading advertising warned again!

Environmental trouble for dm: misleading advertising warned again!

Berlin (ots)

The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has achieved another legal success, targeting the advertising of the drugstore chain dm. After it was made clear last year that the term “climate-neutral products” was more than questionable, dm has now also accepted its verdict on “environmentally neutral products”. This is a decision made by the Karlsruhe Regional Court on July 26, 2023, which is now fully legally binding. The drugstore chain is no longer allowed to advertise its products with the misleading claim, which represents a significant shift in consumer information.

In the current situation, however, dm has continued to use the label “act environmentally neutral”, which the DUH sees as just as misleading. DUH's concerns are based on the fact that this gives consumers a false impression about the actual environmental impact of the products. Jürgen Resch, Federal Managing Director of the DUH, was critical of this: “The promise of ‘environmentally neutral’ products goes far beyond the climate neutrality promises that have already been ruled inadmissible in all successful lawsuits.” He emphasizes that this type of advertising is only a slight modification to distract from the previous deception.

A brief review of the legal dispute

The chain originally appealed the ruling but withdrew the appeal, meaning the district court's decision could now serve as an example for other companies that might try similar advertising techniques. The case highlights how important it is for companies to communicate transparently about the environmental truths of their products and not rely on misleading claims.

The underlying concerns relate to the way dm presents the alleged environmental neutrality of its products. The chain currently only includes five of thirteen recognized environmental impacts in its assessments, ignoring key categories such as resource consumption and fine dust emissions. This creates a distorted image and leads consumers to believe that the products are completely environmentally friendly. Agnes Sauter, head of ecological consumer advice and market surveillance, makes it clear that the positioning as “environmentally neutral” does not correspond to reality.

In this context, Deutsche Umwelthilfe is also calling for stricter regulation by the federal government, in particular by Environment Minister Steffi Lemke. Existing consumer protection laws and regulations are often inadequate to prevent such misleading practices. The DUH sees the need to introduce effective measures to protect consumers from such deceptions and to increase pressure on companies to assign them responsibility for their advertising.

The pressure on large retailers and manufacturers is growing. More and more people have become aware of the problem of “greenwashing,” where companies try to make their product appear more environmentally friendly than it actually is. It is a strategy that misleads consumers and undermines efforts towards true sustainability. The DUH therefore remains relentlessly committed to combating such misleading advertisements and ensuring that transparency and honesty in advertising become the norm.

Given these developments, it will be crucial for dm to rethink its advertising strategy and ensure that the environmental claims of its products correspond to the facts. Consumers have a right to be truthfully informed so that they can make informed decisions - especially at a time when environmental awareness and sustainability are at a premium. These legal battles highlight how important it is to maintain this standard.