Brussels Airlines and 19 other airlines must stop ‘greenwashing’ | News
--
Twenty European airlines, including Brussels Airlines, pretend to be greener than they are and mislead customers. They must stop this and adjust their sustainability claims within thirty days, say supervisors of the European member states. If they do not comply, they can be fined.
The regulators are taking action after a complaint from European consumer associations, including Testaankoop, against a total of seventeen airlines, including those of the Lufthansa group (including Brussels Airlines), Air France, KLM and Ryanair, for greenwashing. The complaint was filed with the European Commission and the Network of EU National Consumer Authorities (CPC).
The European Commission and the CPC Network identified several potentially misleading environmental claims on airline websites and apps. Although the Commission does not want to name the companies, the regulators say that “many airlines make sustainability claims that are contrary to the law”, so-called ‘greenwashing’, according to the Dutch watchdog ACM, for example.
For example, the companies offer customers to pay extra for the use of sustainable fuel, but exaggerate the beneficial effect on the climate. Or they offer to compensate for CO2 emissions by planting trees, without mentioning that the flight itself ultimately damages the climate and environment.
The airlines contacted also used unqualified terms such as “sustainable” or “green” for a flight, for example, while they did not live up to such absolute statements. They also pretend that consumers can calculate the CO2 emissions of their flight and compare them with others using dubious calculators, without making it clear how that calculation works.
Consumers deserve accurate and scientific answers, not vague or false claims
EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova
Responsible consumers
“If we want responsible consumers, we must provide them with accurate information… They deserve accurate and scientific answers, not vague or false claims,” EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova said in a statement.
The twenty airlines were made aware of the potentially misleading environmental claims. They now have 30 days to submit proposals to address the concerns of the CPC authorities. If the airlines involved do not provide the necessary solutions, sanctions may follow.
A Dutch court ruled last month that KLM had misled customers with an advertising campaign aimed at improving the company’s environmental image, in a case of so-called greenwashing.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
