The case:
A manufacturer advertised toothbrushes and toothpaste in online stores as “climate-neutral certified”, without providing further explanations.
The problem:
The Wettbewerbszentrale, the German competition watchdog, filed a complaint because the advertising suggested that emissions were avoided. In reality, they were only offset through external projects.
The ruling:
The Munich Regional Court I (Landgericht München I) prohibited these advertising claims. According to the German Federal Court of Justice, when environmental terms are used, companies must immediately explain what exactly they mean.
Conclusion:
Generic labels such as “climate-neutral” without a direct explanation of the compensation measures will no longer be allowed.
Important for practice:
Advertising claims related to environmental protection must be transparent to avoid accusations of greenwashing.
Source:
https://www.zm-online.de/news/detail/gericht-untersagt-klimaneutral-werbung-fuer-zahnpflegeprodukte