Three of the world’s biggest fashion brands have had their Google ads banned after the UK advertising watchdog ruled they misled shoppers with vague “recycled” claims — part of a wider crackdown on greenwashing in the retail sector.
Ads for Adidas promoting “recycled running shoes”, Calvin Klein “recycled” tops for women, and Uniqlo fleece coats and jackets made from “recycled materials” all fell foul of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which challenged each company to prove the environmental assertions.
“ASA bans Adidas, Uniqlo and Calvin Klein ads for misleading 'recycled' claims in greenwashing probe.”
Adidas conceded it did not have a recycled running shoe range, but said some products across its collections might incorporate recycled materials and that it held internal product documentation to back its claims. Calvin Klein argued that certain products in its women’s T-shirts and tops range included “environmentally preferred materials” – including recycled, organic and other materials – and that consumers would not reasonably interpret the ad as covering the entire range. Uniqlo said shoppers were likely to understand that the products were made to a “meaningful extent” from recycled materials and pointed to an international certification scheme.
But the ASA was unconvinced. It ruled that, without further clarification, the term “recycled” would lead consumers to believe the products were entirely made from recycled materials. The regulator added that absolute environmental claims must be supported by a “high level of substantiation”.
“It’s important that people can trust the environmental claims they see in ads,” said Miles Lockwood, the ASA’s director of complaints and investigations. “When absolute terms like ‘recycled’ are used, the basis of those claims should be clearly explained and properly supported by evidence. Without that, there’s a risk that people could be misled. We’ll be continuing to monitor ads making green claims, taking action where we do see ads breaking the rules, whilst also supporting advertisers with advice and guidance to help them get it right.”
The latest bans come as part of a wider investigation into environmental claims in fashion retail ads. In December, the ASA banned ads for Nike, Superdry and Lacoste for misleading consumers about sustainability credentials.