The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) is calling on the EU to ban misleading climate claims on food, such as ‘climate neutral bananas’. A study published on Thursday 9 March by BEUC underlines that such a ban would truly empower consumers in the green transition, as the European Commission aims to do.
As the Commission’s legislative proposal on the substantiation of green claims is expected on 22 March (see EUROPE 13104/1), this study shows in particular:
- that these claims are scientifically inaccurate: the production of all food and drink will always require the emission of carbon;
- that carbon offsetting, which underpins most of these claims, offers no guarantee that carbon will be locked in for the future;
- that these claims mislead consumers, giving them the false impression that the products are a good choice for the climate;
- that the processing of complaints by national authorities is so slow that the damage of climate greenwashing is already done.
According to the BEUC, green marketing messages such as ‘carbon neutral’, ‘CO2 neutral’ or ‘carbon positive’ do more harm than good. For climate-damaging meat or dairy products, for example, such positive statements can only encourage the status quo in consumption habits, the organisation points out.
To consult the study: https://aeur.eu/f/5pl (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)