Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz v. Kübler Heizöl

The Fair Advertising Commission (FAC) is a non-judicial body that examines complaints alleging violations of the Swiss Fairness Principles in Commercial Communication. The Foundation for Consumer Protection (Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz) filed a complaint with the FAC against a heating oil provider (Kübler Heizöl) concerning the company’s advertisement of its heating oil product as “climate neutral” (case 168/23). The FAC held that this advertisement was misleading and recommended that the company refrain from it: “The complaint is upheld. The respondent is recommended to refrain from making the contested statement "xxxxxxxx heating oil is climate-neutral" in future, unless it creates a clear reference to the company and can provide full proof at the time of communication that all climate-relevant effects associated with production have been calculated using generally accepted methods, as well as unquestionable proof that these climate-relevant effects have been fully offset.” (translation from German)