Two years after denouncing widespread greenwashing by airlines to the European authorities, the situation has improved, but more still needs to be done, says the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) in a report published on Tuesday 17 June.
Although some airlines have withdrawn or modified their climate-related marketing claims, some of these changes are minor. For example, changes in formulation or colour. Claims of carbon offsetting and the overemphasis on airlines’ long-term sustainability objectives are still prevalent.
BEUC therefore encourages the European Commission and the network of consumer protection authorities (CPC Network) to continue their investigations into airline practices and to agree on commitments aimed at making their marketing more reliable. “By breaching EU rules, airlines’ greenwashing is misleading consumers, the majority of whom want to travel more sustainably”, deplored Agustín Reyna, Director General of BEUC, in a press release.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/hdf (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)