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The Climate Litigation Database

Deutsche Umwelthilfe v. Apple Distribution International Ltd.

Geography
🇩🇪 Germany
Year
2024
Document Type
Litigation

About this case

Filing year
2024
Status
Pending
Geography
🇩🇪 Germany
Court/admin entity
Germany → Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main
Case category
Suits against corporations, individuals (Global) → Corporations (Global) → Misleading advertising (Global)
Principal law
Germany → Act Against Unfair Competition
At issue
Whether advertising claims around "climate neutrality" are misleading and in breach of the German Act against Unfair Competition

Documents

Filing Date
Document
Type
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Summary

The lawsuit is directed against Apple Distribution International Ltd. The company is accused of promoting three models of its Apple Watch as "CO2-neutral." The company states that the CO2 emissions caused by the production of these watches are offset by compensation projects. However, Apple largely leaves unclear which projects these are. Moreover, it is not evident whether the compensation projects will actually be operated for the entire period during which the emitted fossil carbon remains in the atmosphere. Press release: https://www.duh.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung/deutsche-umwelthilfe-klagt-gegen-technologiekonzern-apple-wegen-irrefuehrender-werbung-fuer-co2-neutr/