NGO Wins Greenwashing Lawsuits Against Lufthansa and Adidas

Berlin – The environmental group Environmental Action Germany (DUH) has won two greenwashing lawsuits against German airline Lufthansa and global sportswear giant Adidas over misleading sustainability claims.

The court rulings mark a significant development in the fight against corporate deception regarding environmental responsibility.

In a case against Lufthansa, the Cologne Regional Court ruled that the airline misled consumers by offering an “offset flight” option without providing clear details on the extent of its climate compensation.

The court found that customers were not adequately informed about how their chosen flight’s emissions would be offset, nor what exactly was being compensated.

Additionally, the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was presented in a way that created the impression that passengers’ contributions directly related to their specific flights.

DUH’s head, Jürgen Resch, criticized Lufthansa’s practice, stating, “The court confirms our criticism and addresses how one of the world’s largest airlines systematically deceives customers and pretends that air travel is climate-neutral in exchange for additional fees.”

He further emphasized that air travel remains one of the most damaging contributors to climate change, and selling “a clear conscience” through such schemes was particularly egregious.

DUH accused Lufthansa of employing a compensation model that accounted for only a fraction of the aviation industry’s climate impact. The NGO urged the airline to eliminate domestic flights in Germany and instead encourage travelers to opt for rail alternatives if it was truly committed to reducing emissions.

In a separate ruling, the Nuremberg-Fürth Regional Court found Adidas guilty of misleading advertising regarding its climate goals.

The court ordered the company to stop promoting claims that it would achieve climate neutrality by 2050, citing the lack of concrete measures beyond 2030 to support this assertion.

“Advertising a company or its products with an alleged climate neutrality can have a significant impact on purchase decisions,” the court stated in its judgment.

Resch welcomed the ruling, arguing that Adidas’ loss underscored the necessity for corporations to make transparent and verifiable environmental commitments.

Following the verdicts, DUH urged the incoming German government to introduce strict regulations and penalties against consumer deception in environmental claims. The NGO stressed that clear legal frameworks were needed to hold companies accountable for sustainability promises.

The European Union has already begun taking steps to regulate green claims, aiming to prevent misleading advertising practices that exploit growing consumer interest in sustainability. Both rulings, however, are not yet final and could be subject to appeal.

The cases highlight the increasing scrutiny companies face over their environmental claims as regulators and advocacy groups push for greater transparency.

As climate-conscious consumers demand more accountability from businesses, courts and policymakers are likely to play a growing role in ensuring that sustainability pledges are backed by concrete action rather than mere marketing tactics.

 

This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members