Advertising watchdog says all three firms misled shoppers by using term ‘sustainable’ in paid-for Google adverts
Ads for Nike, Superdry and Lacoste have been banned in the UK for misleading consumers about the environmental sustainability credentials of their products.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said paid-for Google ads run by all three retailers used terms such as “sustainable”, “sustainable materials” or “sustainable style” without providing evidence proving the green claims.
Nike’s ad, for tennis polo shirts, referred to “sustainable materials”. The company said the promotion was “framed in general terms” and argued consumers would interpret it as referring to some, but not all, products offered.
Similarly, Superdry, which urged consumers to “unlock a wardrobe that combines style and sustainability”, said the purpose of the ad was to highlight that it manufactured, sourced and sold a wide range of products that have “sustainability attributes and credentials”.
