The Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC Network), of which the Dirección General de Consumo de España is a member, has notified 20 airlines that are allegedly disseminating misleading ecological claims (greenwashing). This action, coordinated by the European Commission, has been developed in coordination with all Member States and has been led by Spain and the counterpart authorities of Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.
The authorities have identified several types of potentially misleading environmental claims and have warned airlines that they must bring their practices into line with EU legislation within 30 days. From now on, the CPC Network will be in contact with airlines and will monitor the implementation of the necessary changes to comply with the current rules. Should these airlines fail to take the necessary measures to resolve these problems, the CPC Network authorities may decide to take further action, including financial penalties.
Potentially misleading claims on airlines' websites or apps include that CO2 emissions caused by a flight can be offset or reduced by climate projects or by the use of sustainable aviation fuels to which consumers can contribute by paying additional fees.
Other types of misleading practices detected include the use of the terms "green", "sustainable" or "responsible" in an absolute manner or the use of images or colours that may mislead consumers about the environmental impact of the highly polluting airline industry. Claims related to future performance, such as that the airline is moving towards zero greenhouse gas emissions, may not be associated with clear and verifiable commitments, measurable targets and an independent monitoring system.
Similarly, some airlines present consumers with a "calculator" of the CO2 emissions of a specific flight without providing sufficient scientific evidence on the reliability of the calculation or information on the elements used for the calculation, or compare themselves with other flights or airlines in terms of CO2 emissions, without providing sufficient and accurate information on the elements of the comparison.
The objective of the Dirección General de Consumo de España, through this coordinated action, is to contribute to the fight against greenwashing by removing this obstacle to the green transition and ensuring that consumers have clear and accurate environmental information to make informed choices.
About the CPC Network
The European Commission coordinates cooperation between national authorities to ensure that consumer rights legislation is applied and enforced consistently across the single market. This European network of authorities in each Member State is known as the CPC Network. Through this network, enforcement actions can be alerted and coordinated across the EU to address practices that harm the vast majority of consumers in the EU. The authorities that make up this network can accept commitments from the companies responsible to correct their practices and provide remedies and compensation to affected consumers. The list of CPC authorities, single liaison offices, designated bodies and external alert entities can be found on the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network website.