{"id":62638,"date":"2024-03-04T16:53:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T03:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=62638"},"modified":"2025-05-20T13:59:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T01:59:12","slug":"greenwashing-claims-trial-nz-ban-fossil-fuel-advertising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/greenwashing-claims-trial-nz-ban-fossil-fuel-advertising\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenwashing claims on trial: should NZ ban fossil fuel\u00a0advertising?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>According to independent watchdog Consumer NZ, New Zealand is \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer.org.nz\/articles\/greenwashing-is-rife-in-aotearoa-we-need-new-laws-to-stop-them\">rife with greenwashing<\/a>\u201d, with many companies positioning themselves as \u201csustainable\u201d. No doubt you\u2019ll have seen such claims on the products in your weekly shopping basket.<\/p>\n\n<p>The practice is coming under increasing scrutiny, in New Zealand and around the world, due to concerns that it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/news\/business\/508529\/consumers-struggling-to-verify-sustainability-claims-survey\">denies meaningful consumer choice<\/a>. Studies show brands advertising their sustainability <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/consumer-packaged-goods\/our-insights\/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets\">perform better<\/a>, but consumers can\u2019t be expected to research every claim.<\/p>\n\n<p>Overseas, legislative moves are being made to tackle greenwashing. The European Parliament, for example, has just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20240112IPR16772\/meps-adopt-new-law-banning-greenwashing-and-misleading-product-information\">approved a directive<\/a> that will ban baseless marketing claims such as \u201cenvironmentally friendly\u201d.<\/p>\n\n<p>The directive will also cover \u201cclaims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment because of emissions offsetting schemes\u201d. This will be particularly challenging for fossil fuel energy companies and other large polluters as they attempt to claim carbon neutrality through offset schemes.<\/p>\n\n<p>Consumer NZ and others (including the Environmental Law Initiative where I also work), are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer.org.nz\/articles\/consumer-nz-and-others-seek-high-court-declaration-that-z-energy-has-misled-new-zealanders\">currently seeking<\/a> a High Court declaration that Z Energy has breached the Fair Trading Act with its advertising, including the claim it is \u201cin the business of getting out of the petrol business\u201d.<\/p>\n\n<p>Z Energy has responded by saying its own transparency over emissions reporting makes it a target. The company\u2019s CEO has been <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.co.nz\/2024\/01\/26\/greenhushing-not-greenwashing-z-energy-denies-court-claims\/\">reported as saying<\/a> the threat of legal action might mean big emitters \u201csay less, do less and are less ambitious\u201d about their attempts to meet emissions targets.<\/p>\n\n<p>It\u2019s the first major case in New Zealand concerning alleged climate greenwashing, and its outcome will be closely watched.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-drawing-a-legal-line\">Drawing a legal line<\/h2>\n\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beuc.eu\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/BEUC-X-2023-149_The_Great_Green_Maze_How_environmental_advertising_confuses_consumers.pdf\">international consumer survey<\/a> published late last year looked at perceptions of green claims. It found three out of four European respondents believed \u201cvery polluting\u201d companies should not be allowed to use any green claims at all.<\/p>\n\n<p>Close to 40% of respondents in Europe thought fossil fuel companies should not be allowed to do any advertising. Results were \u201cbroadly similar\u201d for New Zealand respondents (and those from other countries) to the same survey.<\/p>\n\n<p>Behind these sentiments is a simple logic. If advertising drives consumption, and consumption of fossil fuels is driving climate change, then ending the promotion of fossil fuels is part of the solution. There are obvious parallels with the restriction of tobacco advertising.<\/p>\n\n<p>In practice, however, there are significant challenges to defining the scope of any such laws. We all use fossil fuels every day, not only to run vehicles, but by our reliance on products in which the burning of oil, coal and gas is embedded, including their supply chains.<\/p>\n\n<p>Where would we draw the line? An ambitious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parl.ca\/DocumentViewer\/en\/44-1\/bill\/C-372\/first-reading\">private members bill<\/a> recently tabled in the Canadian parliament tries to answer that question. It reads:<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>It is prohibited for a person to promote a fossil fuel, a fossil fuel-related brand element, or the production of a fossil fuel, except as authorized by the provisions of this Act or of the regulations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<p>\u201cPromotion\u201d in this bill is defined as:<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>a representation about a product or service by any means [\u2026] that is likely to influence and shape attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about the product or service.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<p>This is potentially much larger in scope than some existing European bans on the advertising of specific industries, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2022\/08\/24\/france-becomes-first-european-country-to-ban-fossil-fuel-ads-but-does-the-new-law-go-far-e\">France\u2019s ban<\/a> on the advertising of fossil fuel energy products. This has been criticised by Greenpeace for still allowing certain types of advertising, including sporting event sponsorship.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-increasing-climate-litigation-risk\">Increasing climate litigation risk<\/h2>\n\n<p>Because each country\u2019s emissions profile is different, it might be most feasible to focus legislation on the most polluting companies or sectors, including carbon-intensive sectors that are still growing.<\/p>\n\n<p>In New Zealand, that would mean limitations on the advertising of fossil fuel-intensive agricultural products and private transport (including non-electric cars and aviation). Or it might simply mean prohibitions on advertising by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/news\/national\/500074\/new-zealand-s-biggest-emitters-for-2023-revealed#:%7E:text=New%20Zealand's%20top%2010%20emitters,tonnes%20from%20the%20previous%20year.\">largest emitters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>In theory, such measures could be part of New Zealand\u2019s second <a href=\"https:\/\/environment.govt.nz\/what-government-is-doing\/areas-of-work\/climate-change\/emissions-reductions\/erp\/\">Emissions Reduction Plan<\/a>, which is due this year. This will contain strategies, policies and actions for achieving the country\u2019s second emissions budget, and contributing to global efforts to limit temperature rises to 1.5\u00b0C.<\/p>\n\n<p>However, the current government has made it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/news\/national\/508653\/auckland-regional-fuel-tax-to-end-in-june-pm-announces\">cheaper to buy petrol<\/a> in Auckland, and has curtailed various public transport schemes. It seems unlikely we will see fossil fuel advertising bans in this parliamentary term, and any private member\u2019s bill also seems destined to fail.<\/p>\n\n<p>For all these reasons, attention is turning to the use of existing law in novel ways. As the Z Energy case suggests, New Zealand\u2019s Fair Trading Act is likely to be increasingly used to challenge fossil fuel advertising.<\/p>\n\n<p>The Act contains prohibitions against \u201cmisleading and deceptive conduct\u201d, as well as \u201cunconscionable conduct\u201d. Neither has been properly tested in the New Zealand courts in the context of climate change.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-climate-and-the-law\">Climate and the law<\/h2>\n\n<p>If consumer sentiment continues to harden, we can imagine a time when any positive advertising by a large climate polluter could be deemed to be misleading or unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n<p>The risk for corporations is therefore increasing. As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/content\/dam\/Deloitte\/ch\/Documents\/risk\/deloitte-ch-en-climate-litigation.pdf\">recent report<\/a> on climate litigation from global consultancy Deloitte argued:<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>If policymakers do not enact adequate laws and standards, and companies do not apply these quickly and forcefully, individual constituents of society will increasingly turn to the courts to protect their own interests, those of their children and descendants, as well as the planet itself.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<p>However, at a time when rapid change is needed to address the climate crisis, driving it through the courts will be slow and incremental.<\/p>\n\n<p>Specific legislation setting limits on fossil fuel advertising would be a far more efficient way of regulating claims by high-polluting industries. Such legislation would also provide more certainty for those industries.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<section\n\t\t\tclass=\"boxout  \"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-action=\"Image\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"cover-card-overlay\"\n\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/community.greenpeace.org.nz\/petitions\/carbon-zero-2050-the-advertising-standards-code-must-have-a-rule-about-climate-change\" target=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2024\/03\/2ac19035-e0155c20-a0da-4489-b5a5-d1cfc559e4c5-1.jpeg\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2024\/03\/2ac19035-e0155c20-a0da-4489-b5a5-d1cfc559e4c5-1.jpeg 529w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2024\/03\/2ac19035-e0155c20-a0da-4489-b5a5-d1cfc559e4c5-1-510x289.jpeg 510w\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 358px, (min-width: 780px) 313px, 88px\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\talt=\"\" title=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\/>\n            \t\t\t<div class=\"boxout-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"boxout-heading medium\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-action=\"Title\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/community.greenpeace.org.nz\/petitions\/carbon-zero-2050-the-advertising-standards-code-must-have-a-rule-about-climate-change\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUpdate the Advertising Standards Code for a Carbon Zero 2050\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"boxout-excerpt\">Urge the Advertising Standards Authority to ban the advertisement of products that are proven to contribute significantly to emissions of air pollutants in Aotearoa.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t                                    <a\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary\"\n                        data-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n                        data-ga-action=\"Call to Action\"\n                        data-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n                        href=\"https:\/\/community.greenpeace.org.nz\/petitions\/carbon-zero-2050-the-advertising-standards-code-must-have-a-rule-about-climate-change\"\n                        target=\"_blank\"\n                    >\n                        Sign the petition\n                    <\/a>\n                \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/matthew-hall-359875\">Matthew Hall<\/a>, Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Law, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200\">Te Herenga Waka \u2014 Victoria University of Wellington<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/greenwashing-claims-on-trial-should-nz-ban-fossil-fuel-advertising-219615\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-beige-100-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\">This article\u00a0is a guest post and doesn&#8217;t necessarily represent the views of Greenpeace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to independent watchdog Consumer NZ, New Zealand is \u201crife with greenwashing\u201d, with many companies positioning themselves as \u201csustainable\u201d. No doubt you\u2019ll have seen such claims on the products in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":62642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[16],"p4-page-type":[6],"class_list":["post-62638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-greenpeace","tag-climate","p4-page-type-story"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.8 (Yoast SEO v26.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Greenwashing claims on trial: should NZ ban fossil fuel\u00a0advertising?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/greenwashing-claims-trial-nz-ban-fossil-fuel-advertising\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Greenwashing claims on trial: should NZ ban fossil fuel\u00a0advertising?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"According to independent watchdog Consumer NZ, New Zealand is \u201crife with greenwashing\u201d, with many companies positioning themselves as \u201csustainable\u201d. No doubt you\u2019ll have seen such claims on the products in&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/greenwashing-claims-trial-nz-ban-fossil-fuel-advertising\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Greenpeace Aotearoa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/greenpeace.nz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-04T03:53:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-20T01:59:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2024\/03\/c7d4b80b-z-energy-petrol-service-station-gettyimages-460917688-1120.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"731\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nick Young\" \/>\n<meta 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