Green claims

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In recent years, businesses have faced an onslaught of consumer class actions challenging sustainability initiatives, environmental commitments, and ethical sourcing language. In our view, these lawsuits frequently rely on dubious injury allegations because they challenge company-wide statements without properly connecting those statements to the value of any specific product purchased by plaintiff. After all, federal courts have limited jurisdiction, requiring a plaintiff to plausibly allege, with facts, an actual injury flowing from defendant’s conduct. Some courts are increasingly taking a harder look at pleadings to determine whether a plaintiff can plausibly allege that a company’s environmental or ethical visions, goals, or policies actually affect the value of the company’s product. In the most recent example, a federal court in Florida concluded that the answer to that question, at least with respect to Lululemon’s “Be Planet” campaign, was no.Continue Reading Pleading an Injury in Consumer Class Actions: Is It Enough to Just Say So?

Last month, a putative class action was filed against Procter & Gamble challenging various green advertising claims for its Charmin toilet paper. The complaint brought a variety of state law claims targeting P&G’s sustainability claims, including “Keep Forests as Forests,” and alleged that the claims were explicitly false and misleading.

According to the complaint, P&G’s “Keep Forests as Forests” campaign made three promises to consumers by leveraging the “Protect-Grow-Restore” logo:Continue Reading Lawsuit Alleging Greenwashing Filed against Procter & Gamble for Charmin Toilet Paper

Environmental claims are a powerful tool for companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and connect with values-driven consumers. However, these claims are facing increased legal scrutiny, as governments and regulators aim to close the gap between companies’ climate pledges and their corporate actions.

The recent case of People of the State of New York v. JBS highlights the growing risks associated with sustainability and environmental advertising. Filed after the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) recommended that JBS discontinue certain sustainability claims that formed the basis of the suit, this case underscores how environmental claims can invite challenges from multiple fronts, including federal and state regulators, self-regulatory entities, competitors, and consumers, and how courts are wrestling with where the lines are for such claims.

During a hearing on January 10, 2025, the Supreme Court of New York dismissed the New York attorney general’s lawsuit against JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings (JBS). But the court is allowing the AG to file an amended complaint by April 10—90 days from the hearing—to address deficiencies in the complaint. If the AG does not file an amended complaint by that deadline, the court will dismiss the case with prejudice.Continue Reading New York Court Dismisses Suit Against JBS but Allows Attorney General to File Amended Complaint

Join us as we spotlight select chapters of Venable’s popular Advertising Law Tool Kit, which helps marketing teams navigate the legal risk of campaigns and promotions. Click here to download the entire Tool Kit, and tune in to the Ad Law Tool Kit Show podcast, to hear the authors of this chapter dive deeper into the issue of green claims in this week’s episode.

Protecting the planet against climate change is a social movement—and big business. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued detailed and specific guidance for marketers about how to substantiate so-called green claims. Unsubstantiated green claims have been, and will continue to be, an enforcement priority. The FTC has sought comments on updates to the Green Guides, and new Guides are likely to be issued in 2024. State laws have also been passed that regulate specific “green” claims, which regulators have begun aggressively enforcing. Furthermore, plaintiffs’ class action lawyers are focusing on green claims across a variety of industries, from transportation to cosmetics.Continue Reading Green Claims: An Excerpt from the Advertising Law Tool Kit

Episode 4 of Venable’s Ad Law Tool Kit Show, Season 2,is now available. Listen to “Green Claims” here, or search for it in your favorite podcast player.

Protecting the environment and practicing social responsibility not only benefit the planet, but also provide a compelling value proposition. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued detailed guidance for marketers about how to substantiate green claims, and states are increasingly passing laws governing environmental advertising.

In this episode, Venable partner Claudia Lewis discusses how marketers can promote the environmentally conscious aspects of their products while avoiding so-called greenwashing.Continue Reading Listen to Venable’s Ad Law Tool Kit Show Podcast – “Green Claims”

Earlier this month, the National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs (NAD) recommended that Amyris Clean Beauty, Inc.’s (Amyris) Biossance skincare products modify or discontinue several claims regarding their “clean” and “ethically and sustainably sourced” ingredients, including:

  • “Clean ingredients and clean formulas—we ban over 2000 ingredients that are known to be toxic to you and the environment. All of our ingredients are also ethically and sustainably sourced.”
  • “Our 100% sugarcane derived squalane is ethically and sustainably sourced, keeping 2 million sharks every year safe from liver harvesting.”
  • “Did you know our squalane is sugarcane derived and it’s a hero ingredient in *every* Biossance formula? This miracle multitasker locks in weightless moisture, calms and protects, and improves elasticity.”

Continue Reading NAD Issues Decision Addressing “Clean,” “Ethically and Sustainably Sourced,” and Efficacy Claims for Amyris Clean Beauty, Inc. Biossance Skincare Products

Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against the world’s largest beef producer JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings (JBS Group). The lawsuit challenges the company’s claim that it will achieve net zero greenhouse emissions by 2040 despite its documented plans to increase production and lack of supporting evidence that the aspirational claim is attainable.

Generally, achieving “net zero” means negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by activity by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (also known as “offsetting”). According to the complaint, there are no proven agricultural practices that would allow the JBS Group to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero at the company’s current scale, and offsetting the emissions would be a “costly undertaking of unprecedented degree.”Continue Reading New York Attorney General Says JBS Net Zero Claims Are Greenwashing

Is a product recyclable if it is made of recyclable materials? Or is it recyclable when it can be recycled by waste management facilities? Last month, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California attempted to tackle these questions in response to a motion to dismiss in Della v. Colgate.

The plaintiff alleged that Colgate-Palmolive Company engaged in false and misleading advertising claims about the recyclability of its toothpaste tubes with claims like “First of Its Kind Recyclable Tube” and images of the universal recycling symbol. The plaintiffs claimed these statements were misleading because the products cannot be recycled at most waste management facilities. Colgate argued that since the tube is made from recyclable material—specifically a material that can be recycled at most facilities—the “recyclable” claim was not misleading.Continue Reading California Court Cites FTC Green Guides, Allowing Plaintiff’s Challenge of Colgate Toothpaste Tubes “Recyclable” Claims to Proceed

At its December 14, 2022 open meeting, the Federal Trade Commission announced it would publish a notice in the Federal Register seeking comment on potential updates or revisions to its existing Green Guides. The Green Guides are the agency’s guidance document intended to “help marketers avoid making environmental marketing claims that are unfair or deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act.” Earlier, the FTC had indicated that the guides would be revised this year, but that has apparently slipped to next year.

The pre-publication version of the notice, which will be published later in the Federal Register, indicates that the FTC is requesting comments on all aspects of the Green Guides, and in it the agency notes that in the 10 years since the last update, increased attention to environmental concerns has resulted in “the proliferation of environmental benefit claims [which] includes claims not currently addressed in the Guides.” In addition, the FTC wants to ensure that the guides respond to changes in consumer perception.Continue Reading FTC Seeks Public Comment on Possible Green Guides Revisions