The scale of Fonterra’s greenwashing efforts has been exposed by a new study, which analysed more than 1,200 environmental claims made by dairy giants all around the world between 2021 and 2024.
After analysing Fonterra’s 2023 sustainability report, the study (published in the open-access journal Public Library of Science – Climate) revealed that of Fonterra’s 32 environmental claims, 31 were greenwash and only one was backed up by scholarly literature.
Greenpeace agriculture campaigner Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says, “This report is further evidence that Fonterra puts more effort into greenwash than actually addressing its pollution.”
“The impacts of the climate crisis are here and happening now. New Zealanders are losing their lives to floods and landslides, and Fonterra must be held accountable for its role in this crisis.”
This report follows an announcement from Greenpeace that it had settled its ‘grass-fed butter’ lawsuit against Fonterra brands, leading to a public admission from Fonterra that it had broken the law by using misleading claims on Anchor butter packaging.
Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Fonterra and the other big dairy corporations are using the same tactics as the tobacco industry and the fossil fuel lobby to derail and delay climate action. But despite their best marketing efforts to greenwash their products, they’re being exposed time and time again.”
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) study analysed the claims of 33 of the biggest meat and dairy companies globally, finding that 98% of all environmental claims analysed could be considered greenwashing.
Globally agriculture accounts for approximately one-third of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions, and a disproportionate amount of those emissions come from the livestock industry.
In New Zealand this impact is magnified, with greenhouse gas emissions from the dairy industry making up more than one-quarter of the country’s total emissions.
Despite Net-Zero goals in Fonterra’s Climate Roadmap, the company’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 2.2% in 2025. For the last 5 years, it has been ranked as New Zealand’s most climate polluting company.
“While Fonterra hides behind greenwash claims in its roadmap to climate chaos, its climate pollution is getting worse,” says Deighton-O’Flynn.
“It’s clear that Fonterra’s main product is now greenwash and PR spin, to cover up its environmental destruction.”
