US EditionGerman Court Rules Apple Can't Say Watches 'Carbon Neutral'
The court found Apple’s carbon offset project lacked secure land leases for 75% of its area beyond 2029, undermining claims of genuine carbon neutrality for the Apple Watch.
- On Aug 26, a Frankfurt regional court barred Apple Inc. from advertising the Apple Watch as CO2-neutral in Germany, finding the claim unsubstantiated and breaching competition law.
- The court focused on Apple Inc.’s reliance on a reforestation project in Paraguay that plants eucalyptus, noting leases for approximately 75% of project land are not guaranteed beyond 2029.
- Judges and advocates noted the Paraguay project lacks a secure future, with Juergen Resch saying CO2 storage in eucalyptus plantations is limited and monoculture forests' ecology questionable.
- Apple Inc. declined to comment on the ruling and may appeal to a higher court, while Deutsche Umwelthilfe hailed the decision as a victory against `greenwashing`.
- Across Europe and North America, litigation trends show increased scrutiny of corporate sustainability claims, with the Federal Trade Commission stepping up focus on greenwashing in recent years.
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35 Articles
German court rules Apple cannot call its smartwatch 'carbon neutral'
Apple has made some pretty big environmental claims over the years, and one of the more eyebrow-raising ones was that select models of its Apple Watch Series 9 were "carbon neutral." The statement drew some flack from climate experts in 2023, and now a regional court in Frankfurt, Germany has deemed the claim to be unfounded and a violation of competition laws. If the decision stands, Apple may need to revise its language for the smartwatch. The…
·United States
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The technology group Apple can no longer apply for its smartwatches as CO2-neutral.
·Germany
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The Frankfurt Regional Court has decided that Apple must not market its smartwatch as CO2-neutral. Consumers expect long-term CO2 compensation that is not guaranteed.
·Munich, Germany
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Total News Sources35
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 25%
C 56%
R 19%
Factuality
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