Signals

UK – The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Google adverts from global fashion brands Lacoste, Nike and Superdry after ruling that their use of the term ‘sustainable’ amounted to greenwashing.

The ads, flagged through an ASA initiative monitoring environmental claims in fashion retail, were ordered to be removed and must not reappear in their existing formats.

All three campaigns used ‘sustainable’ without explaining what the claim meant within Google’s strict character limits of 30 characters for headlines and 90 for body text. The ASA ruled that ‘sustainable’ is a broad and absolute term that requires a high level of substantiation, as consumers are likely to interpret it as signalling positive or neutral environmental impact during a product’s entire lifecycle.

Although the three brands cited environmental benefits, none of the context appeared directly in the ads. Lacoste cited Science Based Targets Initiative-validated emissions reductions, Nike pointed to selective use of recycled materials, and Superdry disclosed that 64% of its products contained sustainably sourced materials in 2024. The regulator concluded that without clear, qualifying information, such claims are ambiguous and misleading.

Throughout our Rebranding Sustainability series, we examine how brands can move beyond vague claims and towards clearer, more accountable communication in a world of greenhushing and the ‘death’ of sustainability.