Two Etihad Airways adverts implying its flights had a smaller environmental footprint than others and were “sustainable” have been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog.
In response to claims that Etihad was “taking a louder, bolder approach to sustainable aviation”, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said there “were currently no initiatives or commercially viable technologies in operation” to back up the claims.
Both adverts, which appeared on Facebook last October, were dubbed as “misleading” and breached codes over environmental claims, the ASA ruled on Wednesday.
One advert claimed customers would be making a “conscious choice for the planet” if choosing to fly with Etihad, while the other said its flights had “a smaller footprint”.
United Arab Emirates-based Etihad responded to the ASA’s investigation arguing its claims were backed up by a series of awards, were focussed on the long term and that it was involved in environmental schemes - including carbon offsetting.
The ASA acknowledged Etihad’s 2050 net-zero target but noted aviation still produces “high levels of CO2” and that the ads’ sustainability claims would be misinterpreted by passengers.
Etihad’s greenwashing bust follows a series of bans by the ASA since it promised to crackdown on greenwashing claims in September 2021.
Last year, the ASA banned ads from HSBC, Pepsi-owned Lipton, Unilever and German airline Lufthansa, which alleged it was protecting the Earth through its green initiatives.